Dog's Bark Alerts Owner to Garage Fire

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The thrown-out ashes from a charcoal fire sparked a blaze Sunday morning in the garage of a Montclair home, according to the Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue.

At about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, fire and rescue units responded to the fire in an attached garage of a home in the 5100 block of Willow Oak Place, the fire department said.

It was first spotted ed by a neighbor who was alerted to the fire by the family dog, who repeatedly signaled to go outside. As the owner approached the door, he saw the fire and immediately called 911, the fire department said.

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Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames coming from the front of the garage. They attacked and extinguished the fire before it reached the primary residence.

No injuries were reported. The Prince William Fire Marshal’s Office said that preliminary damages are estimated at $70,000, and the building was posted unsafe by a building inspector.

The fire department said the fire’s cause was accidental due to the improper discarding of charcoal ashes in a garbage receptacle.

The Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue (www.pwcgov.org/fire) urge residents to follow these simple safety tips when discarding ashes from a fireplace, wood stove or charcoal grill:

• Hot coals, hidden in a pile of ashes and thus well insulated, can stay hot for up to four days! Never empty ashes into a paper or plastic bag, cardboard box or other similar container.
• To discard hot ashes: DO allow ashes to cool (four days) before removing; moisten the ashes and then place them in a metal container, with a tight-fitting lid, outside and well away from the house (at least 20 feet away from the home and combustibles).
• DO NOT store on your deck, in your garage or in any location that may allow heat to be transferred from the hot coals to nearby flammable items.