Basement Fire In Ashburn Causes $500K In Damage, Kills A Cat, Displaces Family Of Five

ASHBURN, VA — A home on Sweet Clover Place in Ashburn caught fire on Friday night. The blaze caused more than $500,000 in damage, displaced five people, and caused the death of a cat.

Authorities learned of the fire around 7:40 p.m. on Friday. At that time, units from Ashburn, Moorefield, Kincora, Sterling, Leesburg, and Fairfax County responded to the scene.

When they arrived, firefighters found the two-story, single-family home with smoke showing from the structure. The residents safely evacuated before first responders arrived.

Firefighters deployed hoses after they found smoke emitting from the home's rear basement entrance, according to a report from the fire department. When they entered the home, units dealt with heavy smoke as they worked to extinguish the fire.

Meanwhile, other units checked the rest of the home to see if the fire had spread. They also worked to ventilate some of the smoke from the house.

The fire marshal's office determined that the fire was accidental. Officials said a an overloaded, unfused multi-plug electrical adapter failed, sparking the blaze.

Four children and one adult were displaced by the fire. They did not require assistance from the American Red Cross, authorities said.

The five affected people did not report any injuries from the fire. No firefighter were injured either, according to officials. However, a cat died due to smoke inhalation from the blaze.

Authorities estimated that the fire caused $576,000 in damages.

In a news release, the fire department urged residents to ensure that power strips and extension cords are not used in place of permanent fixtures. They also noted that major appliances, like fridges, microwaves, or air conditioning units, should be plugged directly into the wall.

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