"The smoke alarms are what alerted him to the fact there was a fire," Zurolo said.
The cause of the fire, which caused about $10,000 in damage to the rear of the three-story stone home, has not been determined, Zurolo said.
About 50 firefighters battled the blaze for about 10 minutes before bringing it under control. No injuries were reported, the spokesman said.
The home is located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 30 miles southeast of Washington.
Clancy is the author of thrillers including "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games," and "Clear and Present Danger."
