Is a Tenant Liable if a Pipe Bursts Due to Freezing

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: MD

The thermostast was off while the tenant was out of town. Not sure how the termostat was switched off.

Pipe line burst due to freezing causing damage to the propery. Is the tenant liable for property damage?

Tenat is not aware of that the thermostat/heat should be maintained not the lease requires that temprature needs to be maintained. Tenant moved from California and not awar of the implications of not maintaining temprature in the apartment.

What course of action does he have?

Generally, the lease spells out tenant is responsible for all damages caused by their negligence. This falls in that category. All one needs to do is look out the window to see that water freezes. It can be presumed if they are smart enough to navigate their way across the US, they should be smart enough to understand snow and ice come from water.

I would suggest that you repair the damage and then inform your tenant not to turn off the thermostat or lower it below 62 degrees during winter. You are a landlord making money from renting out property. You get plenty of tax write offs and make money doing it or you wouldn't be doing it. It's the cost of being a landlord. Or maybe you would rather loose a good tenant. I take a pragmatic approach to these kinds of situations.

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Quoting sriram1800

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Not sure how the termostat was switched off.

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Does anybody other than the tenant have access to the thermostat?

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Quoting sriram1800

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Tenant is not aware of that the thermostat/heat should be maintained not the lease requires that temprature needs to be maintained.

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Was that supposed to be "the lease does not requires that temperature needs to be maintained" or was that supposed to be "the lease requires that temperature needs to be maintained"?