Remains Found At Loudoun 3-Alarm Fire Scene

STERLING, VA — Remains have been found at the site of a house fire in Sterling that displaced eight residents and destroyed three townhomes, Loudoun County fire officials said Sunday. One person was unaccounted for after firefighters brought the blaze under control.

Loudoun County fire crews responded to a home located in the 20000 block of Riptide Square around 1 a.m. Friday after receiving a call about a structure fire with possible entrapment, officials said in a news release.

The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office recovered remains at the incident scene while investigating the three-alarm fire. Fire officials and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Authorities said the victim’s manner and cause of death will be released pending an investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Investigators said that because the spread of the fire happened so fast, it hindered firefighter access to the scene. Two townhomes collapsed and the fire damaged a third, according to a news release.

Eight residents were displaced by the fire and several are receiving help from the American Red Cross.

It took crews about an hour of firefighting before the fire could be controlled enough to allow for salvage and overhaul operations.

One firefighter was treated for a minor injury, officials said.