LEESBURG, VA – Seven residents and a dog were displaced by a house fire caused by improperly discarded fireworks on Friday night, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. It was one of two major fires caused by fireworks over the Independence Day holiday.
According to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, units responded to the fire shortly before midnight on Friday and found smoke and fire showing from the garage of a single-family home in Leesburg. The service did not specify an address. The fire was handled quickly and resulted in minimal damage to the home, but the occupants and their pet were displaced. Fire and Rescue authorities say the home’s smoke alarms did their job.
The Fire Marshal’s Office says improperly discarded legal fireworks next to the home started the blaze.
A single-family home in Ashburn caught fire on Saturday, displacing more people and pets and causing nearly $1.2 million in damage.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks were the cause of more than 34,000 fires in 2024, including 3,246 structure fires.
The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s office discourages residents from using fireworks, but offers the following advice for those who choose to: Only use legal fireworks purchased from a permitted retail stand, only use fireworks outdoors and far from anything flammable, keep a hose or water bucket nearby, only put fireworks on stable ground, never try to relight malfunctioning fireworks and soak spent fireworks before throwing them away in a fire-proof container outside.
The county offers more fireworks safety advice here.
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