Lorton Townhouse Fire Injures 1, Displaces 9 People: Fairfax Fire

LORTON, VA — One person was injured in a townhouse fire in Lorton Tuesday night that displaced nine residents and caused $118,750 in damage, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.

At about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fairfax County fire units were dispatched to the 7400 block of Larne Lane for the report of a fire. Units arrived on the scene of a two-story, end-unit townhouse with smoke coming from the front door. Crews located a fire in the hallway, near the front door.

The fire was quickly extinguished, according to the fire department. One person was taken to a nearby hospital to check on a minor injury. No firefighters were injured.

Three people were home at the time of the fire. One of the occupants heard screaming and went downstairs to investigate. She saw a fire in the hallway near the front door, according to the fire department.

They were unable to leave through the front door due to the fire, so they jumped out the first-floor kitchen window. One of three residents then removed the front door and attempted to extinguish the fire, the department said.

Fire investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in the first-floor hallway. The cause of the fire was the ignition of natural gas that had been leaking from a stove top burner left on for several hours.

The displaced residents accepted assistance from the Red Cross.