Overview

• Baltimore County fire investigators arrested Mark Hawkins, 66, and charged him with first-degree arson and first-degree malicious burning in the July 1 explosion at 8120 Callo Lane.
• The house was leveled around 2 a.m. and the fire was under control by 3 a.m., officials said, with no injuries reported and no one home at the time.
• Investigators allege Hawkins left a disconnected natural gas line feeding the water heater, with BGE data showing unusually high gas flow on June 30 and an estimated 18 hours of buildup before the blast.
• Neighbors told reporters the couple was in Jamaica, and BGE inspections of nearby properties after the explosion found nothing alarming.
• Hawkins is being held without bail with a hearing set for Oct. 24, and local authorities and the ATF say their work on the case continues.