The cause of a May 3rd fire that claimed the life of 25-year-old Daryl Blank may never be determined. The investigation remains open, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office says it can’t rule out discarded smoking materials as the cause of the blaze on Simpson Avenue in LaVale. It is known the fire began around 6:50 a.m. on a second-floor deck of the building. The structure also housed an apartment on the first floor, but nobody was home at the time of the fire. The fatal blaze brought out more than four dozen firefighters; it was discovered by a paramedic with the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services.