Salisbury, MD - After a complete investigation was conducted, Deputy State Fire Marshals have determined the cause of the fire to the home of Salisbury University Lacrosse Head Coach Jim Berkman and his wife Jennifer Berkman, which occurred on October 8, 2023, and located in the 1000 block of Russell Avenue in Salisbury, Wicomico County.  

At 9:55 a.m. the Salisbury Fire Department had been alerted to a blaze in a two-story, wood frame single family dwelling at the above address.  It took 40 firefighters 50 minutes to bring the fire under control.  Two firefighters had suffered minor injuries as a result of battling the blaze.  

They were transported to a local hospital and later released.  Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to respond to the scene by the Salisbury Fire Department to conduct an origin and cause investigation.  

Investigators estimated damages to the home to be approximately $250,000.00.  Unfortunately, a dog and two cats perished in the fire.

Deputy State Fire Marshals have determined that a power cord to a lamp in the living room of the home, which was located on the first floor, is what caused the fire.  Several fire investigators examined the scene for hours before coming to this conclusion.  This case will now be closed for the Office of the State Fire Marshal with no further agency involvement.