On Wednesday, December 16, 2020 the Loudoun County Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the identity of the victim from Sunday’s house fire as 58-year-old Lynne McKew. The official cause of death remains under investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, 2020, Loudoun County firefighters responded to a house fire at 323 Harrison Street, SE in Leesburg. Fire and rescue crews arrived on scene and reported visible smoke from the rear of the two-story townhouse. A fire was located on the first floor and upon extinguishing the fire, firefighters located the deceased female inside the residence.
The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office investigation has determined that the fire was accidental, caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials. Damages to the structure are estimated at $184,800. The original press release including critical smoking safety tips can be found here.