Fire on Rear Deck Damages Centreville Home

Improperly discarded smoking materials caused a fire Tuesday that damaged the rear of a Centreville home, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. There were no injuries in the blaze.

Units responded at about 5:05 p.m. to the single-family home at 13469 Gray Valley Court. Firefighters encountered smoke and fire coming from the rear of the two-story home, and they quickly extinguished the fire on the deck.

A neighbor saw the fire coming from the deck and alerted the occupant by knocking on the front door, the fire department said. No one was displaced.

Damage is estimated at $1,250, the fire department said, and the cause of the blaze was accidental. Improperly discarded smoking materials in a planter on the deck caused the fire.

Discarded Smoking Materials Safety Tips

• Completely douse butts and ashes with water before throwing them away, as they can smolder and cause a fire.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Provide large, deep ashtrays with a center support for smokers. Check furniture for any dropped ashes before going to bed. Empty ashes into a fireproof container with water and sand.
• Keep smoking materials away from anything that can burn (i.e., mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, draperies, etc.).
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used.\
• If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They are less likely to cause fires.
• To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you must be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine or other drugs.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children’s sight and reach.