1 Sent To Hospital Amid Burke Area Fire

SPRINGFIELD, VA — Two people are displaced and one of them was hospitalized after a Tuesday fire in the Burke area, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

The fire department responded to the 7200 block of Galgate Drive in Springfield around 9:11 p.m. Smoke was visible from the rear when units arrived at the single-family home. Units located the fire largely on the deck and patio area and quickly extinguished it.

Two residents were home when the fire occurred. The residents observed a red glow outside the basement window and found the fire on the exterior of the home. One resident called 911 while the other tried to put out the fire with a garden hose. Both evacuated before the fire department arrived. One was taken to the hospital for a check-up.

Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire was improperly discarded smoking materials. Damages were estimated to be $25,000. Red Cross assistance was not needed.

In light of the fire's cause, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue shared the following tips on safely discarding smoking materials:

• Never dispose of cigarette butts in potted planting soil. The soil, when it gets too dry, can become highly flammable.
• Never flick cigarettes into mulch or shrubbery. Dispose of them in a suitable ashtray or bucket with sand.
• Ensure designated outside smoking areas have an appropriate fireproof container, ashtray or bucket.
• Completely douse butts and ashes with water before throwing them away, as they can smolder and cause a fire.