Improperly Handled Fireworks Spark Townhouse Blaze: Fire Department

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Smoldering fireworks are being blamed for a Saturday night blaze that caused about $700,000 in damage to a row of townhouses south of Dulles Airport.

There were no injuries reported in the fire, which broke out at 25147 Sodalite Square, according to the Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management. The department said the fire was caused by a set of fireworks that was not properly extinguished and placed in the garage.

At 10:26 p.m. Saturday, fire and rescue units from Loudoun County, Fairfax County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority responded to the blaze. At the scene, they found flames coming from multiple floors in the front and rear of a middle-unit townhouse.

A second alarm brought in fire and rescue units from Ashburn, Sterling and Leesburg. As they doused the flames, the firefighters checked the townhouses on either side of the unit where the fire broke out, working to protect those residences. They found “significant smoke conditions” in those units, but no active fire, the Loudoun fire department said.

Once the fire was extinguished in the unit where it started, crews remained on the scene, ventilating nearby structures and checking for hot spots. One firefighter was evaluated at the scene for heat exposure but not transported.

Three occupants from 25147 Sodalite Square and several occupants from the homes next door were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross. The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office estimated the damage at $700,000.

Linda Hale, Loudoun County’s chief fire marshal, provides these tips on handling fireworks:

• Spent fireworks must be soaked and placed in a metal container with a lid.
• The container should be placed at least 15 feet away from any building, structure or flammable materials so that it may cool overnight.
• Re-check the container regularly to ensure nothing is smoldering; when they are completely extinguished, properly dispose of the wet materials.

Additional fireworks safety information can be found by visiting www.loudoun.gov/fireworks or calling Lisa Braun, Public Education Manager at 571-258-3222.