Child Dies In Fire He Started Playing With Lighter | Patch PM

Stories to share this evening:

UPDATE: Fatal Fire Caused by Child Playing with Lighter: Fairfax County Fire + Rescue

A young boy died Tuesday in a house fire Tuesday night in Lorton, according to Fairfax County Police. Four adults (three men and one woman) were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Two dogs and three birds perished in the fire and two dogs were rescued.>>>Read more.

Former White House Florist from Alexandria Publishes Book, ‘Floral Diplomacy’

Former White House florist Laura Dowling of Alexandria has published a book, "Floral Diplomacy: At the White House," due out on March 15. In the book, Dowling talks about entering an open competition for the job, after Nancy Clarke retired from the job after 30 years. After multiple rounds of an intense floral competition and interview with Michelle Obama, the job was hers.>>>Read more.

Metro Crisis Nears the Breaking Point

The outlook is grim for the D.C. Metro system based on the newly released 2018 budget from WMATA, which shows that even despite massive cuts across the agency, there's still a $290 million budget gap. And officials don't know what to do about it.

Bao Bao Arrives in China, Happily Munches Bamboo During Her Trip

• Bao Bao has stamped her passport in China, arriving in Chengdu without incident after a long flight on a FedEx 777 dubbed the "Panda Express." It was a comfortable flight for the three-and-a-half-year-old panda, who "happily ate, drank and slept the whole way to Chengdu," the National Zoo said on their Facebook page on Wednesday morning.

Stunning Video: DC Cops Drag Man Out of Burning Car

• Two Metropolitan Police Department officers rescued a man from a burning car recently, and it was all caught on video.
• Alexandria Store to Close After 33 Years in Business
• Red Light Cameras: Four More Coming to Fairfax
• Young Woman Stabs Teen-Aged Family Member in Dumfries: Police
• FBI Now Involved With Missing Girl Case in Dumfries