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Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Ocean City Investigators Release Findings of Fire Investigation

(December 3, 2013) – On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, at approximately 9:25 a.m., Ocean City Communications received a call for a fire at St. Paul’s by the Sea. Ocean City Fire Department personnel responded to the scene, which is located at 302 North Baltimore Avenue, and found fire coming from the rectory building upon their arrival.

Investigators determined that the fire originated on the body of John Raymond Sterner, 56, of Ocean City, who entered the structure with a significant amount of fire on and about his person. The fire quickly spread from Sterner to the structure. The cause of the fire is classified by the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office as “incendiary.”

The investigation revealed that prior to the fire; Sterner purchased gasoline, which investigators believe he then put on his body. The gasoline is believed to have acted as an accelerant and was responsible for the quick spread of the fire. Sterner was deceased inside of the building upon arrival of the Fire Department.

The fire also claimed the life of St. Paul’s by the Sea’s Reverend, David Dingwall. Fire Department personnel located Rev. Dingwall during a primary search of the second floor of the building, where they experienced heavy smoke and heat conditions. Rev. Dingwall, who was unconscious at the time, was quickly removed from the building, treated on-scene by paramedics and transported to Atlantic General Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that the manner of Rev. Dingwall’s death was homicide caused by smoke inhalation. In regards to Sterner, the Medical Examiner ruled his death to be suicide by way of thermal burns and smoke inhalation.

A female victim, whose name is not being released, also sustained injuries while attempting to exit the Shepherd’s Crook facility during the fire. She was treated by paramedics’ on-scene and ultimately transported to John’s Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Her current condition is unknown, however; she is still being treated for her injuries at John’s Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Initial damage assessments indicate significant fire damage of the first and second floor office, in addition to smoke and overhaul damage throughout the first floor of the rectory building. The worship center and Red Doors Community Center, which are located within St. Paul’s by the Sea, experienced minimal to no significant damage.

“Our community has experienced unimaginable tragedy,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “Our community, as a whole, mourns the loss of Father David. All of our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this very sad time. He will be forever remembered for making Ocean City a better
place.”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

God bless all involved in this tragedy. We'll be donating to rebuild the church's outreach programs, and hope that others will consider doing so as well.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
God bless all involved in this tragedy. We'll be donating to rebuild the church's outreach programs, and hope that others will consider doing so as well.
December 3, 2013 at 9:01 PM

Nice comment sir or madam. It is nice to see a compassionate comment amidst so many negative ones, especially at this time of year. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I think the church and the community should be reaching out to the family of victim Dana Truitt. I haven't seen anything put together to help her so far though I may have missed it. The church should be able to handle whatever needs to be done to get things back to running smoothly because after all weren't they the beneficiaries of several million dollars a few years ago when the Bishopville properties belonging to a deceased OC local were auctioned off?

Anonymous said...

I"m glad to see you blessed everyone involved.. Not just Rev Dingwall there still is someone in the hospital that NO ONE has mentioned...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I think the church and the community should be reaching out to the family of victim Dana Truitt. I haven't seen anything put together to help her so far though I may have missed it. The church should be able to handle whatever needs to be done to get things back to running smoothly because after all weren't they the beneficiaries of several million dollars a few years ago when the Bishopville properties belonging to a deceased OC local were auctioned off?

December 4, 2013 at 1:14 PM

Or maybe they just like their privacy and didn't do a press release? I don't know about any millions or auction and sounds like you don't either. Or where the money was used if even true.

Is it just me or does it seem that just about everyone has turned cynical, heartless, negative and uncaring? Seriously, it feels akin to falling into a pit of vipers to read such lowly comments.

Anonymous said...

10:01-The family has been on both WBOC and WMDT so privacy isn't an issue.
As far as being "cynical" you are the one who is cynical. Don't doubt me before doing your own research. It's ignorant. I know all about the auction so let me clue you in. Daisy Townsend's estate left 2 properties in Bishopville to St Pauls and a church in Bishopville. The properties generated approx. 8 million when sold by Marshall Auctions several years ago. If you are still cynical I will gladly provide you with the exact amount, the date of the auction and the person who made the purchase!

Anonymous said...

The auction is true. It was on Marshall's site as SOLD up until just recently when they changed the look of their site. It was in 2006. Woman read about the auction in the Wash Post. It was scheduled for later in the day so she chartered a helicopter to bring her in from the Western Shore near DC. She paid just over 8 mil for the farm. Helicopter landed right at the auction site. I can't recall her name at this moment, but they are a Hispanic couple. Husband is or was at the time legal council for Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.