Townhouse Fire Causes $183K In Damage, Displaces 5 North Of Fairfax City: Updated

Updated (Dec. 25, 9:15 p.m.)

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — An outdoor burner caused a fire early Thursday night that damaged four townhouses and displaced five people in the Tudor Hall neighborhood north of Fairfax City, according to a post on the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department's official Twitter account

Neighbors in the 48-unit townhouse community reported hearing a rumbling noise and explosion early Thursday evening. Going to investigate, they reported seeing flames coming from the back of two townhouses. A call was put in to 911.

Fire units from the Fairfax City and Fairfax County fire departments responded around 5:08 p.m. for the report of a fire in the 9600 block of Nonquitt Drive. Smoke was coming from the ground floor of one townhome and the roof area of the second. The rear of both townhomes was engulfed in flames. Firefighters immediately began working to extinguish the blaze.

Eventually, about 20 pieces of equipment responded to the scene and firefighters used a ladder truck to shoot water down onto the townhouses from above. The fire was quickly extinguished. By 7 p.m., fire personnel had begun mopping up operations.

A total of four adjacent townhouses were impacted by the fire and five people were displaced from two homes.

Fire inspectors determined the fire was caused by an outdoor LPG burner located on one of the townhouse's patios had been left lit. Damage was estimated at $183,463.