House Fire Near Westover Causes More Than $300K In Damage: ACFD

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County Fire Department units responded to a reported tree on fire at a house on 18th Street N., near the intersection with N. Lexington Street, shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, the fire department said.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found a "well-advanced fire" that had spread to the home, the ACFD said. The house is a couple blocks east of Cardinal Elementary School in Westover Village.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the bulk of the fire quickly and spent a significant portion of their time opening up void spaces to check for any potential fire spread. ACFD units cleared the scene on Saturday just before 7 pm.

No injuries were reported in the fire, according to the ACFD.

The fire spread from an outdoor area on the side of the house near the driveway to the home and the attic, ARLnow reported.

The Arlington County Fire Prevention Office determined the cause of the fire to be improperly discarded fire debris from a metal fire pit placed near landscaping and a wooden fence.

Initial damage estimates for the fire are more than $300,000, according to the fire department.

Open flames or discarded fire debris should be kept at least 15 feet away from combustible material until fully cooled, ACFD said. Visit the county's website for more information on grilling and open burning.