Malfunctioning Battery Pack Blamed For Frying Pan Townhouse Fire

HERNDON, VA — A malfunction involving a charging, lithium-ion battery pack started a fire that caused $93,750 in damage to a Frying Pan area townhouse on Saturday morning, according to Fairfax County fire inspectors.

Units from Fairfax County Fire & Rescue responded around 9:36 a.m., for the report of a fire at a townhouse in the 13000 block of Rose Petal Circle in the Herndon area of the county, according to a blog post.

When crews arrived, fire was visible from the third floor of a middle-unit townhouse. Crews were able to bring the fire under control quickly, containing it to the third floor with only a minor extension into the attic of the three-story unit.

No civilians nor fire personnel were injured and two dogs were rescued from the home.

At the time of the fire, no one was in the townhouse. Neighbors called 911 after observing fire coming from a third-floor window.

Fire inspectors determined that the fire was accidental and started in a third-floor bedroom.

Two residents were displaced by the fire and declined services from the Red Cross.