Fire At Occoquan Apartment Building Displaces 8: Authorities

OCCOQUAN, VA — A fire broke out at an apartment building in Occoquan on Wednesday morning, the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue said.

No injuries were reported in the blaze. The fire caused extensive damage to the apartments, displacing eight residents.

Investigators have not announced what could have caused the fire.

The fire began just after 12 a.m. on Wednesday in the 100 block of Washington Street, authorities said. When first responders arrived, they saw fire and smoke emerging from the six-unit apartment building.

"Thanks to the actions of the neighbors, who alerted the building’s occupants, all were safely evacuated from the structure," fire department officials said in a report.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the structure sustained extensive damage. The county's building official declared the building unsafe to occupy.

The American Red Cross is helping the eight displaced residents, authorities said.

On Wednesday morning, the Fire Marshal's Office remained on the scene to investigate what could have sparked the fire.