Bus Driver Injured In Lake Ridge House Fire Caused By Space Heater: Authorities

WOODBRIDGE, VA — One woman was injured on Sunday night when she removed a burning space heater from her home in Lake Ridge, according to a report from the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue. The woman, who is a bus driver with Prince William County Schools, has organized a GoFundMe to cover the cost of medical expenses and lost belongings.

The fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening, authorities said in a news release. The incident occurred at a home in the 12000 block of Purdham Drive in Lake Ridge.

When fire crews arrived on the scene, the home's occupants had already escaped the home. They learned that a space heater had caught fire when the home's smoke alarms activated, authorities said.

One woman in the home suffered serious injuries when she threw the burning space heater from the home, authorities said. She was originally taken to a nearby medical facility, but she was later taken to the Washington Hospital Center. Nobody else was injured in the blaze.

The home suffered minimal structural damage, and the occupants of the home were not displaced, according to the fire department's report. Authorities are still investigating the fire.

On Tuesday, Angela Russell, a bus driver with Prince William County Schools, said her home was the site of the blaze. In a GoFundMe, Russell gave her own account of what happened.

Russell said she turned on a space heater and drew a bath, as she prepared to return to work for the first time since winter break began in December. "Just stepping into [the bath], my fire alarms went off," Russell wrote in the GoFundMe. "I threw open my bedroom door and saw nothing but smoke and flames."

Russell wrote that she got her children into the home's garage before using the space heater's cord to fling the burning device out of a window. Russell said she used her hands, feet, and buckets of bathwater to extinguish some of the flames.

"I gathered my Pomeranian and husky, got my crew safely into my car, and collapsed as fire and rescue got there," Russell wrote. "There was a lot of damage to my room and belongings."

Since the fire on Sunday night, Russell noted that she has remained hospitalized as a result of her injuries, and she is concerned about accumulating medical bills. "This is so expensive, and all I wanted was a warm nights sleep so I could be prepared to drive my cold school bus in the morning," Russell wrote on Tuesday. "I miss my kids more than life itself and I don't know how long I will be here, but each day is another bill."

Since its creation on Tuesday, Russell's GoFundMe has raised more than $3,500 from 65 donations. Currently, the fundraiser has a $5,000 goal.

After the fire, authorities in Prince William County warned residents about the hazards associated with space heaters. The Fire and Rescue System provided the following advice in a news release:

• If you have a fire in your home, immediately exit the home and call 9-1-1.
• Keep combustibles 36” away from a space heater.
• Place the heater on non-combustible flooring or a mat.
• Leep children and pets away from a space heater.
• If using an electrical heater, ensure all wiring is in useable condition.
• Kerosene heaters should be operated by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • It is important to provide outside air flow if instructions indicate.
  • Never fill a kerosene heater indoors.
  • Never store spare kerosene in your home.

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