Investigators Probing Fire That Destroyed Haymarket Home: Fire Dept.

Firefighters from Prince William and neighboring counties battled a blaze Wednesday at a house in a rural area north of Haymarket, but the dwelling was estimated to be a total loss.

The fire displaced the two adults who live in the house, but there were no injuries, according to the Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue. The blaze is being investigated by the Prince William Fire Marshal’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Fire and rescue crews responded at 2:37 p.m. Wednesday to the single-family house in the 16300 block of Poplar Hill Road, the fire department said. On arrival, they saw the home fully engulfed in flames, and vehicles on the property were also on fire.

The two occupants were safely evacuated from the house before the firefighters began dousing the flames. Because of the home's isolated location, tanker trucks had to transport water to the site, the fire department said.

Firefighters from Fairfax and Loudoun counties responded to a call for mutual aid and helped extinguish the blaze, according to the Prince William fire department. The county Fire Marshal’s Office said that "preliminary damages [to the house] are estimated at a total loss."

Fires and Smoke Alarms

Prince William Fire Chief Kevin McGee reminds residents that smoke alarms save lives. You double your chances of surviving a fire when you install working smoke alarms in your home.

• Test smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries as needed.
• NEVER remove the battery for use in other appliances.
• Change batteries when you change clocks (spring and fall).
• Replace smoke detectors every 10 years.

Proper maintenance of smoke detectors can greatly cut the chances of dying in a house fire.