Vehicle Fire Sparks $930K In Damage To Aldie Home: Authorities

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A vehicle malfunction sparked a house fire in Aldie on Thursday morning, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials said.

No injuries were reported in the blaze, which displaced two adults and five children. Authorities estimated that the blaze caused $930,800 in damage.

The fire broke out around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday in the 25000 block of Fishermans Pond Court in Aldie. The residents smelled smoke and found a car on fire in the garage, fire department officials said. They then closed the door that separated the garage from the rest of the house.

"By closing the door, the rate of fire spread was slowed, letting the residents escape safely outside," fire department officials wrote on social media. "Working smoke alarms were present and sounded, further alerting residents and neighboring homes to the emergency."

When firefighters arrived on the scene, visible flames were emitting from the front and side of the single-family home. First responders used a "deck gun," a mounted device that delivers large amounts of water at high pressure, to knock down the fire. Then, firefighters entered the home and extinguished remaining flames to prevent the spread of the fire, authorities said.

"Fire and rescue crews quickly brought the fire under control, minimizing fire spread and further damages to the remainder of the house," fire and rescue officials said.

Investigators determined that the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical or mechanical issue with a vehicle parked in the garage. The blaze caused $30,000 in damage to vehicles, $563,000 in damage to the house, and $337,800 in damage to the contents of the home.