2-Alarm Fire At Kingstowne Townhouse Displaces 3

KINGSTOWNE, VA — A two-alarm fire at a Kingstowne townhouse early Tuesday displaced two residents and a neighbor, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue. No one was injured in the fire.

Units responded to the three-story home in the 6100 block of Joust Lane around 4:22 a.m. Firefighters found fire on all three floors extending into the attic and a neighboring townhouse. A second alarm was requested, bringing in assistance from Fort Belvoir and Alexandria firefighters.

Two people were home when the fire broke out. One of the residents found the fire on the deck and called 911. Fire investigators determined improperly discarded smoking materials caused the fire on the rear deck.

Damages are estimated to be $153,750, according to the fire department. The two displaced residents are receiving Red Cross assistance. The neighbor who was displaced declined Red Cross assistance.

There have been numerous Fairfax County fires caused by improperly discarded smoking materials this year. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue urged residents to follow these tips to safely dispose of smoking materials:

• Never dispose of cigarette butts in potted planting soil. The soil, when it gets too dry, can become highly flammable.
• Never flick cigarettes into mulch or shrubbery. Dispose of them in a suitable ashtray or bucket with sand. Ensure designated outside smoking areas have an appropriate fireproof container, ashtray or bucket.
• 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, such as mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture and draperies.
• 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, stay 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.