Discarded Smoking Materials Sparked Fire, Causing $158K In Damage

WEST FALLS CHURCH, VA — County fire inspectors determined Sunday's apartment fire in West Falls Church was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials and resulted in approximately $158,500 in damage, according to a Fairfax County Fire & Rescue blog post.

Sunday's fire at three-story, garden apartment style building in the 2900 block of Dover Lane damaged 11 apartments and displaced multiple occupants, according to the blog post. No fire personnel nor members of the public were injured.

Fire units responded around 2:51 p.m., for the report of an apartment fire. When they arrived on the scene, fire could be seen on the third-floor balcony.

Due to the location of the fire and the extreme heat at that time of the day, a second alarm was sent, which brought units from the City of Fairfax Fire Department. The fire was then quickly brought under control.

After observing flames on a third-floor balcony, a neighbor alerted the three occupants of the apartment. They exited the building without harm. Smoke alarms did not sound because the fire originated on the balcony.

Inspectors deemed the fire to be accidental in nature.