For Additional Information:
Laura Rinehart, Public Information Officer
[email protected] or 571-233-1649
December 6th, 2018
For Immediate Release:
Ashburn House Fire Highlights Importance of Smoke Alarms and Non-Combustible Siding
Just after 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4th, fire and rescue units from Ashburn, Moorefield, Lansdowne, Leesburg and numerous command officers responded to a fire in a two-story, single family dwelling located in the 21000 block of Glebe View Drive. The 9-1-1 caller indicated a possible fire in an upstairs bedroom with all occupants out of the house except for the family dog.
As firefighters arrived they saw smoke and fire visible from a second story window of the structure. Additional resources were requested bringing units from Kincora and Dulles South. Fire crews entered the house and quickly located and extinguished the fire in a second floor bathroom. As firefighters were putting the fire out, additional crews simultaneously searched for any occupants and checked for fire extension. Upon further investigation, crews confirmed that the fire was contained to the bathroom with some minor extension into the ceiling and attic area above the fire.
The three adult occupants were alerted to the fire by working smoke alarms and safely evacuated before the arrival of emergency personnel. Firefighters located and rescued the family dog, who was unharmed, and reunited it with its owners.
The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has classified the fire as accidental, caused by an electrical malfunction. Damages were estimated at $75,000. Due to water and smoke damage, three adult occupants and the dog were displaced from the home. There were no injuries to civilians or first responders.
An important note for homeowners, the exterior of the home was constructed with fibrous cement siding which greatly slowed the rate of fire spread vertically as well as to neighboring homes. This fibrous cement siding is mostly comprised of non-flammable materials and generally carries the highest achievable safety rating. Alternative siding options may not have provided the same level of protection or time for firefighters to extinguish the fire.
Additionally, the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office recommends that every residence have working smoke alarms on each level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s smoke alarm program offers free home safety surveys and smoke alarms for Loudoun County residents. If your smoke alarms aren’t working or are outdated we will replace them with battery powered alarms at no cost and install additional alarms as necessary. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the department hotline 703-737-8093 or visit www.loudoun.gov/smokealarms.
###