Woman Suffers Serious Injuries In Dumfries Fire: Authorities

DUMFRIES, VA — One person was injured when a fire broke out at a home in Dumfries on Saturday morning, according to the Prince William County fire department.

A woman, who authorities only identified as an adult female, was trapped in the home. She suffered serious injuries and is receiving treatment at a regional burn center, authorities said.

The fire broke out around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at a home in the 3600 block of Dahlgren Place. The first-responding firefighters requested assistance when they learned that a woman was trapped.

The woman was trapped in an upstairs bedroom while the fire burned in the basement, the fire department said. Firefighters protected her in the burning building until they could use an aerial ladder to lower her to the ground.

She was taken to a regional burn center and firefighters extinguished the blaze. The townhouse sustained "moderate" damage, and a neighboring home had minimal damage, according to authorities.

The fire displaced four people; they are receiving help from the American Red Cross. Authorities have not announced what could have caused the fire.

"The Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind everyone, smoke detectors save lives. Working smoke detectors provide your best means of escaping a fire in your home," the fire department said in a news release. "Smoke detectors provide the early warning needed to escape a fire in your home. Smoke detectors should be tested monthly, and batteries changed as recommended."