CAMBRIDGE - State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci awarded a local veterinarian's office a unit citation for their work in a fatal fire investigation that tragically took the lives of two people on New Year's Day.

Dr. Katelin McConkey and Brandy Warnick, manager of the VCA Choptank Animal Hospital in Cambridge, were presented an Office of the State Fire Marshal Unit Citation by Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Matthew Stevens.

The citation was awarded to Dr. McConkey and the staff after investigators located the remains of the owners' two dogs within the home. Investigators had multiple ideas on how the fire started, including if the fire was a criminal act and if the owners died due to homicide.

The family of the deceased told investigators that their dogs were highly protective of their owners and would have given their lives to do so. After investigators requested the animal hospital services, Dr. McConkey offered to perform necropsies on the two canines free of charge. Dr. McConkey performed the necropsies with her staff present, which allowed the event to be educational and informative, and concluded that both animals perished due to smoke inhalation.

"Fire investigation is a slow, methodical and tedious process. Any fire that results in a fatality is even more arduous. This finding assisted investigators in focusing their resources on the origin and cause of the fire," stated Stevens, regional commander of the Lower Eastern Regional Office.

Unit Citations are authorized in instances where other law enforcement agencies or their member have provided exemplary and meritorious assistance to the Office of the State Marshal.

"I am proud to recognize Dr. McConkey and the staff of Choptank Animal Hospital. Fire is everyone's fight, and in this case, Dr. McConkey stepped up and volunteered her services for free to not only assist our investigators but most importantly provide answers and ultimately bring closure to the family," stated State Fire Marshal Geraci.