On Wednesday, March 15, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Alexandria Fire Department units were dispatched to the 200 block of S. Fairfax Street for a residential building fire. Units arrived on scene and reported smoke and fire showing from the three-story structure, upgrading the incident to a second alarm. Units encountered heavy fire conditions inside the home and began an interior attack to extinguish the fire. One occupant was at home and evacuated at the time of the fire. First responders from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Arlington, Fairfax and Prince George’s counties also responded to the incident.
AFD’s Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an origin and cause investigation and determined the area of origin was a bedroom on the second floor. There was one smoke alarm in the home, but it did not activate at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation as fire marshals continue to review the scene of the incident.
Two adult residents were displaced. Assistance from American Red Cross was not requested, and the residents made arrangements for relocation. No civilians were injured as a result of the house fire. Three firefighters sustained nonlife threatening injuries while responding to the incident, one being a burn injury. The residence was condemned due to fire and structural damage. The fire caused approximately $1.2 million in damages, and the property value saved is an estimated $607,469.
The Alexandria Fire Department encourages residents to have working smoke alarms in their homes, to check them often, and change replaceable batteries as needed. You can arrange a smoke alarm installation for your single-family home by completing an online request form. https://survey.alexandriava.gov/s3/SmokeDetectorRequest