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Prince George's County fire investigators said a malfunctioning window air-conditioning unit is the culprit behind a massive fire that occurred in the house of Cottage City Commissioner William Hall Sr. (Ward 2).

It took 35 firefighters about 20 minutes to knock down the fire in the 3800 block of 40th Avenue on July 6, said Prince George's County Fire/EMS spokesman Mark Brady.

The firefighters responded at about 4:30 p.m.

Brady said investigators believe the fire was accidental.

Hall, 77, said he was home alone taking a nap, when his smoke detector went off and woke him up.

"So I got up out of bed, went out the door, and I happened to look into the room right across the hall from my room and the air conditioner [unit] was burning and the fire was going up the curtains," Hall recalled.

Hall initially ran to the kitchen for a bucket of water, but then said he realized he needed to get out of the house. Once outside, he said his neighbor ran back inside the house to get the keys to his brand-new truck so she could move it away from the burning house.

One firefighter was burned while battling the blaze. He was taken to a burn unit, treated and released, Brady said. The fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damages and the house is uninhabitable, Brady said.

Brady said that the air-conditioning units are not generally fire hazards unless they are not being used properly.

Hall has lived in the house for 42 years and has served as a commissioner for 19 years. He said he lost most of his possessions in the fire, including his hearing aid and dentures. The fire gutted the back of his house and much of the inside, Hall said.

Hall, who was a volunteer firefighter and ran fire calls nearly 20 years ago, is currently staying with his daughter in Laurel and is looking for temporary housing in Cottage City while he rebuilds his house.

Insurance will help replace many of Hall's possessions, he said, but in the interim, residents have been pitching in to help, such as organizing a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

"I love it. They have all come out, they have come out of the woodwork to help me and do things," Hall said. "It made me feel good that the community wants to do something for me and help me out."

Commissioner Aileen McChesney (Ward 1) is helping to organize the fundraiser, which will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m., today at the Bunker Hill Fire Station at 3716 Rhode Island Ave. in Mount Rainier. The suggested donation for a dinner plate is $10.

"When things like this happen, small towns really shine," McChesney said. "They take care of their own, so this is an opportunity for people to reach out and help a fellow resident."

Hall estimates it will take him 10 to 12 months to rebuild — and this time, he will be installing central air conditioning.