12 People Displaced As Woodbridge Fire Claims 2 Homes

WOODBRIDGE, VA – Twelve people from two homes are displaced after a Woodbridge house fire engulfed the rear of a single-family house and spread to a residence next door, Prince William firefighters say.

According to a release from Prince William County Fire and Rescue, crews arriving at the 2000 block of Sussex Court just past midnight on Tuesday found an exterior fire extending up to the attic and through the roof of a one-story, single-family home.

The fire spread to a backyard shed and the home next door, and a second alarm was requested. The fire at the second home damaged the attic and other parts of the house, but was quickly extinguished. Crews also found downed electric lines at the scene.

Firefighters say residents were awakened by the fire outside the home before it entered the structure and escaped. One person was taken to a hospital for minor injuries, and no firefighters were hurt in the blaze.

A total of 23 units responded, and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue assisted. The fire was reported extinguished in about an hour, and the gas and electric companies and the building inspector were called to the scene.

Eight adults and four children were displaced, as both homes were deemed unsafe to occupy. The first home was totally lost.

Power was temporarily cut off to the cul-de-sac, but has been restored, and a gas leak caused by the fire was contained.

The Prince William County Fire Marshal's Office says the fire was accidental and started on the home’s exterior.