Fort Hunt House Fire: Discarded Smoking Materials Spark Blaze

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Discarded smoking materials caused a middle-of-the-night blaze this past weekend at a Fort Hunt home, according to Fairfax County Fire & Rescue.

Officials say Saturday, at approximately 4:40 a.m., firefighters were dispatched for a reported garage fire in the 9000 block of Beatty Drive in the Fort Hunt section of Fairfax County (see map below). Firefighters from Fire Station 9, Mount Vernon, arrived first on the scene and reported seeing fire from the rear of a garage attached to a single story, ranch-style home.

Firefighters brought the garage fire under control, but not before some of the house also caught fire, officials said. Two people were home when the fire broke out. One of the residents woke up after hearing strange noises and discovered the fire while investigating the source of the sounds. The resident called 9-1-1 and both occupants safely got outside. Officials said that no working smoke alarms were found in the home.

A total of approximately 30 firefighters responded to the scene. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported. The Red Cross is assisting the two adults that lived in the home.

Fire Investigators determined the fire originated in the attached garage and was accidental in nature, caused by improperly disposed smoking materials. Damages were estimated to be $93,750.00 total.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said they would like to remind residents to avoid the dangers of improperly discarded smoking materials and to please follow the safety tips, from the National Fire Protection Association, listed below:

• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
• Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and dousing in water or sand is the best way to do that.
• Check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used.
• If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They are less likely to cause fires.

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