Fair 83°
Tag:

Fire Damage

Police & Fire
Smoking Materials Spark Springfield Fire That Displaced Family, Damaged Three Homes (WATCH) Smoking Materials Spark Springfield Fire That Displaced Family, Damaged Three Homes (WATCH)
Smoking Materials Spark Springfield Fire That Displaced Family, Damaged Three Homes (Watch) Improperly discarded smoking materials were to blame for a massive, nearly $1 million, two-alarm fire in Virginia that left a family displaced. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called at around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, to the 6200 block of Levi Court in Springfield, where there was a reported townhouse fire, officials said. Upon arrival, crews were met by flames showing from a middle unit townhouse with smoke billowing through the area. Video of firefighters battling the blaze can be viewed here. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control after a second alarm was …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Lithium Battery Turns Virginia Home Into $275K Fireball As Family Escapes Blaze Lithium Battery Turns Virginia Home Into $275K Fireball As Family Escapes Blaze
Lithium Battery Turns Virginia Home Into $275K Fireball As Family Escapes Blaze An early morning fire in Virginia torched a Purcellville home and left three people displaced after investigators say a lithium battery malfunction sparked the blaze. The fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19, in the 17000 block of Strathallen Court, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. When crews arrived, flames were already shooting from a second-floor window of the two-story home, officials said. A Rapid Intervention Task Force was requested, bringing in more backup from across the county. Firefighters said everyone inside escaped safely thanks to working smoke a…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
'By God's Grace': Smoke Alarms Save Woman, Pets As $350K Blaze Destroys Home 'By God's Grace': Smoke Alarms Save Woman, Pets As $350K Blaze Destroys Home
'By God's Grace': Smoke Alarms Save Woman, Pets As $350K Blaze Destroys Home Smoke detectors may have saved the lives of a woman and her family's pets, but it will be a long time until they can move back into their Maryland home. Scott and Karen Zissimos were displaced by an early-morning fire that could have ended even more tragically after a fast-moving kitchen fire spread to the rest of the Edgewood home. Crews were called around 5:58 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, to a one-story home on Kennard Avenue, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators said the fire started in the kitchen after a food dehydrator failed.  The blaze spread quickly, but a…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Great Falls Icon Krops Crops Destroyed In Fire — Pumpkins And Christmas Trees Still Coming Great Falls Icon Krops Crops Destroyed In Fire — Pumpkins And Christmas Trees Still Coming
Great Falls Icon Krops Crops Destroyed In Fire — Pumpkins And Christmas Trees Still Coming A massive fire destroyed Krops Crops farm stand in Great Falls, but the longtime family business plans to keep serving the community this holiday season. For nearly 40 years, the farm stand has been a fixture in Northern Virginia, but a late-night fire tore through it, destroying the entire structure and antique market. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called to the 11110 block of Georgetown Pike in Great Falls before midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 9, when a police helicopter returning from a call noticed the flames and alerted the agency, officials said. Upon arrival, units were met …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Unattended Candle Ignites $350K Blaze That Tore Through Virginia Home: Fire Marshal Unattended Candle Ignites $350K Blaze That Tore Through Virginia Home: Fire Marshal
Unattended Candle Ignites $350K Blaze That Tore Through Virginia Home: Fire Marshal An unattended candle sparked a fire that tore through a Sterling home Tuesday night, displacing a family of four and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, officials said. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said units from Sterling Park, Cascades, and Kincora, along with crews from Fairfax County, were dispatched just after 9 p.m. on Sept. 2 to the 100 block of N. Sequoia Court for reports of a house fire. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire shooting from the rear of the home and immediately called for a Rapid Intervention Taskforce, officials said. All four occupants had evacu…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
$1M Blaze Rips Through Maryland Home, Displacing Family (WATCH) $1M Blaze Rips Through Maryland Home, Displacing Family (WATCH)
$1M Blaze Rips Through Maryland Home, Displacing Family (Watch) Dozens of firefighters had their hands full on Friday afternoon when a $1 million house fire broke out and displaced a family in Maryland, officials say. What started as a garage fire led to the Red Cross assisting at least nine people including several children — over the holiday weekend in Montgomery County. Around 4pm on 8/29, 8500blk Churchill Downs Rd(Laytonsville). Single family house with RAPID spread to attic. Cause determined to be accidental in nature. Fire started in/near recycling bin near garage. Damage estimated@$1M(850K structure/150K contents). @mcfrs pic.twitter.com/d5Iu…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building
Maryland Home Torched Twice: Cameras Catch Arsonist Running From Burning Building A Maryland home that went up in flames earlier this year was set on fire again — this time with security cameras catching the arsonist in the act, officials said. The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at a vacant residence on Augustine Herman Highway in Kennedyville, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Security cameras from the Kennedyville Volunteer Fire Company captured a suspect igniting a fire on the outside of the home before bolting from the scene, investigators said. The property, now owned by Francis Bonass, is no stranger to fire crews. Investigators bel…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Golf Cart Battery Explodes, Sparks $300K Maryland House Inferno: Fire Officials Golf Cart Battery Explodes, Sparks $300K Maryland House Inferno: Fire Officials
Golf Cart Battery Explodes, Sparks $300K Maryland House Inferno: Fire Officials A golf caddy powered by lithium batteries is being blamed for a massive house fire in Montgomery County that caused more than $300,000 in damage Friday morning, fire officials said. The blaze broke out around 8:45 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, in the 13000 block of Mimosa Farm Court off Glen Mill Road in Potomac, according to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer. When crews arrived, flames were shooting from the garage of a two-story single-family home. The fire spread into the main structure before firefighters could get it under control. 13000blk Mimosa Farm Ct, near…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Two Barns Collapse, Tractors Destroyed In $500K Fire At Cold Springs Farm Two Barns Collapse, Tractors Destroyed In $500K Fire At Cold Springs Farm
Two Barns Collapse, Tractors Destroyed In $500K Fire At Cold Springs Farm Flames tore through a Carroll County farm Tuesday afternoon, burning down two barns and destroying multiple tractors in a blaze that caused more than half a million dollars in damage, officials said. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire broke out just after noon on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Cold Springs Farm on Hawks Hill Road in New Windsor. Office Of The Maryland State Fire Marshal A passerby spotted flames around 12:10 p.m. and called for help, officials said. More than 50 firefighters from New Windsor and surrounding departments battled the two-alarm fire for three hours …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Fuel Leak Sparks Boat Fire In Maryland Sending One Overboard: Officials Fuel Leak Sparks Boat Fire In Maryland Sending One Overboard: Officials
Fuel Leak Sparks Boat Fire In Maryland Sending One Overboard: Officials A boat fire in Western Maryland sent two people to the hospital and forced one person to jump overboard to escape the flames, according to state investigators. Shortly before noon on Tuesday, July 15, fire crews were called to Paradise Point Road in Oakland for a boat fire, the State Fire Marshal’s Office announced. Investigators said the owner of the boat — a 23-foot 1988 Supra Saltare — had just discovered a leak in the fuel tank and was working on it with others when the fire broke out. While completing repairs, electrical equipment on the boat was energized, igniting gasoline vapors in…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Heroic Neighbor Saves Dogs, Slows House Fire In DMV Before Crews Arrive Heroic Neighbor Saves Dogs, Slows House Fire In DMV Before Crews Arrive
Heroic Neighbor Saves Dogs, Slows House Fire In DMV Before Crews Arrive A quick-thinking neighbor in Harford County is being credited with rescuing two dogs and holding off a house fire until firefighters arrived to battle the blaze, officials say. The fire sparked shortly after 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, inside a two-story home on Webster Lapidum Road in Havre de Grace, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. A home fire alarm system alerted the homeowner, who was away at the time, prompting him to call a neighbor to check on the property. That’s when the neighbor spotted flames in the kitchen, rescued both dogs, and grabbed a fire extinguisher to try…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
$500K Fire Guts Marina Store At Gunpowder Falls State Park, Officials Say $500K Fire Guts Marina Store At Gunpowder Falls State Park, Officials Say
$500K Fire Guts Marina Store At Gunpowder Falls State Park, Officials Say A fast-moving fire gutted a state-owned marina store in Middle River early Saturday morning, causing $500,000 in damage, fire investigators confirmed. The blaze broke out just after 6 a.m. on June 28, at the Dundee Creek Marina Store, at 7400 Graces Quarters Road inside Gunpowder Falls State Park, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. An employee and a fisherman spotted the flames and escaped without injury, officials said. According to investigators, the fire started inside the garage area of the building and was caused by an electrical or mechanical malfunction involving…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
32 Displaced By Kitchen Fire In DMV Apartment, Officials Say 32 Displaced By Kitchen Fire In DMV Apartment, Officials Say
32 Displaced By Kitchen Fire In DMV Apartment, Officials Say More than 30 people were forced from their homes after a kitchen fire tore through a Maryland apartment building, fire officials said. Montgomery County Fire & Rescue crews were called to the 18000 block of Cottage Garden Drive around 12:45 p.m. on Monday, June 16, for reports of a kitchen fire on the third floor of an apartment complex, according to a department spokesperson. Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing from the upper-level unit, though it was brought under control with no injuries initially reported. According to investigators, the fire originated in a void space above…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Firefighters Return From Storm Rescues In DMV To Find Fire At Their Own Station Firefighters Return From Storm Rescues In DMV To Find Fire At Their Own Station
Firefighters Return From Storm Rescues In DMV To Find Fire At Their Own Station They were out saving lives from floodwaters — but when they got back to the station, the fire was waiting for them. Crews from the Potomac Heights Volunteer Fire Department in Charles County had their hands full during a night of storm-related emergencies — and came home Sunday night, June 15, to find smoke pouring out of their own kitchen, officials said. As firefighters responded to multiple calls, including a vehicle submerged in floodwaters with victims trapped, they’d barely had time to prep dinner before being dispatched again.  When they returned to Station 7 on Glymont Road in…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Candle Sparks House Fire In Virginia, Causing Nearly $1M In Damage, Displacing Family Candle Sparks House Fire In Virginia, Causing Nearly $1M In Damage, Displacing Family
Candle Sparks House Fire In Virginia, Causing Nearly $1M In Damage, Displacing Family A flame left unattended sparked a massive fire that tore through a Virginia home and left a family of four displaced, officials said. The unattended candle triggered a destructive blaze that caused nearly $1 million in damages and displaced a family in Loudoun County, officials announced. The fire broke out around 12:30 p.m. Monday, June 2, at a large three-story home on Nicholson Meadows Place in Aldie, according to the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office. Crews from Aldie, Kirkpatrick Farms, Dulles South, Prince William County, and multiple command units responded to the scene after a c…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Hospitalized After Confessing: Cody Balmer Admits Firebombing PA Governor’s Mansion Hospitalized After Confessing: Cody Balmer Admits Firebombing PA Governor’s Mansion
Hospitalized After Confessing: Cody Balmer Admits Firebombing PA Governor’s Mansion The man accused of firebombing Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Residence while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept has been hospitalized for a medical event, authorities announced on Monday, April 14. Cody Allen Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, remains under Pennsylvania State Police supervision while receiving treatment at an area hospital. Officials said the medical episode was unrelated to the fire or his arrest. Balmer will be arraigned at Dauphin County Prison once he is cleared for release, state police said. A surveillance video captured Balmer climbing over a wall onto the Governor’s Residen…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
News
Shocking Photos Show Firebombed Damage Inside PA Governor’s Mansion After Arson Attack Shocking Photos Show Firebombed Damage Inside PA Governor’s Mansion After Arson Attack
Shocking Photos Show Firebombed Damage Inside PA Governor’s Mansion After Arson Attack Charred walls, melted fixtures, and soot-stained ceilings — shocking new images reveal the devastation inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence after an arsonist set it ablaze while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept. The photos, released by the Commonwealth on Sunday evening, show extensive fire damage throughout the stately Harrisburg mansion’s interior, particularly concentrated near the front entrance. Blackened walls, debris-strewn floors, and scorched furniture paint a harrowing picture of the overnight attack that officials say could have ended in tragedy. Commonwealth Medi…

SHARE

by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Two Homes Destroyed In Late-Night Fires Minutes Apart In Spotsylvania Two Homes Destroyed In Late-Night Fires Minutes Apart In Spotsylvania
Two Homes Destroyed In Late-Night Fires Minutes Apart In Spotsylvania Two homes in Spotsylvania County went up in flames just minutes apart late Wednesday, Feb. 26, keeping firefighters racing across the county, officials said. Crews from Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management responded to the first fire on Hummingbird Lane in the southern part of the county just before midnight.  Moments later, a second fire broke out on Foxhall Circle in the northern part of the county, officials said. Despite firefighters arriving at both scenes within seven minutes, the homes suffered significant damage, authorities said. Surrounding fire depart…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
$679K In Damages Reported After Lithium-Ion Battery Fire At Virginia Home, Officials Say $679K In Damages Reported After Lithium-Ion Battery Fire At Virginia Home, Officials Say
$679K In Damages Reported After Lithium-Ion Battery Fire At Virginia Home, Officials Say A fire sparked by a lithium-ion battery caused nearly $700,000 in damages and displaced four people in Aldie early Wednesday morning, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials. Emergency crews were dispatched around 3:15 a.m. on Feb. 26 to the 40900 block of Richland Meadow Place in the Little River District after multiple 911 callers reported a house fire. When firefighters arrived, flames were tearing through the garage and upper levels of the single-family home. Crews launched an aggressive attack, deploying multiple handlines and searching the home for possible victims. I…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Sprinkler System Saves Virginia Apartment From Golf Cart Fire Disaster Sprinkler System Saves Virginia Apartment From Golf Cart Fire Disaster
Sprinkler System Saves Virginia Apartment From Golf Cart Fire Disaster A potentially catastrophic fire in an Ashburn apartment building was swiftly contained thanks to a sprinkler system that activated after a golf cart caught fire in a garage, officials said. The blaze broke out over the weekend in the 20000 block of Lazy River Terrace, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue (LCFR) officials. Emergency crews responded after a fire alarm activation, followed by multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting smoke and alarms throughout the multi-family building.  Units from Lansdowne, Ashburn, Leesburg, Kincora, and Sterling arrived to find no visible fire from the …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Reptile Tank Fire Displaces Family Of Nine In Virginia Reptile Tank Fire Displaces Family Of Nine In Virginia
Reptile Tank Fire Displaces Family Of Nine In Virginia A Leesburg family of nine is without a home after a devastating electrical fire ripped through their house on Valentine’s Day, destroying nearly everything inside. Firefighters rushed to the 800 block of Wage Drive just after 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, where they were met with flames and heavy smoke pouring from the first floor of the split-level home, according to Loudoun County fire officials. The residents made it out unharmed, but their pets weren’t as lucky as Loudoun County Animal Services responded to assist the family after a cat and a reptile perished in the blaze. Crews from L…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Separate Thanksgiving Weekend Fires Displace Loudoun County Families; Cause $1M+ In Damages Separate Thanksgiving Weekend Fires Displace Loudoun County Families; Cause $1M+ In Damages
Separate Thanksgiving Weekend Fires Displace Loudoun County Families; Cause $1M+ In Damages Loudoun County firefighters responded to two major structure fires over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, displacing 12 people and causing more than $1 million in damages. The first fire occurred Tuesday, Nov. 27, just before 9:50 p.m. in the 200 block of North Cottage Road in the Algonkian District, officials said.  Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the second floor of a townhome though crews were able to extinguish the fire in a bedroom closet and attic.  Five residents were displaced, and damages were estimated at $431,200.  The fire was ruled accident…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Chickens Perish, Structures Destroyed By Fast-Moving Fire In Virginia Chickens Perish, Structures Destroyed By Fast-Moving Fire In Virginia
Chickens Perish, Structures Destroyed By Fast-Moving Fire In Virginia An eagle-eyed paramedic was able to alert fire crews to an overnight blaze in Stafford County that damaged several structures. Shortly before midnight on Saturday, Oct. 26, Stafford County Fire and Rescue units were alerted to a fire in the 500 block of Wyne Drive, near Warrenton Road in Falmouth, by an ambulance that was returning from the hospital and spotted it. Additional units were called to the area and upon arrival minutes later, they found three detached buildings, including a chicken coop, on fire.  The flames were quickly knocked down, with "minor impact to the adjacent resi…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal
Spark From Welder, Grinder, Causes $1M In Damage At Virginia Magnet School: Fire Marshal Debris from a welder inside a classroom at the Academies of Loudoun magnet school in Leesburg on Tuesday afternoon is likely to blame for the $1 million fire that broke out, officials say. At around 1 p.m. on Sept. 17, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received an emergency call from the alarm company reporting a pull-station activation at the school, an the SRO assigned to the school reported a heavy smoke area in the boiler room reported the situation a minute later. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue crews and several neighboring agencies responded to the scene, where they f…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Family, Visiting Relatives Displaced By Loudoun County House Fire Sparked By Lightning Family, Visiting Relatives Displaced By Loudoun County House Fire Sparked By Lightning
Family, Visiting Relatives Displaced By Loudoun County House Fire Sparked By Lightning The thunderstorms that rolled through Loudoun County and the rest of the DMV region left a family and relatives visiting Virginia displaced after a lightning strike in the area, officials say. Shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3, first responders from multiple agencies in Virginia and Maryland responded to a home in the 15000 block of Shannondale Road in Hillsboro to investigate a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, crews were met by smoke and fire coming from the garage, which rapidly spread to the second story of the residence. Firefighters made their way into the home and were …

SHARE

by Zak Failla