Four occupants displaced after electrical fire in Sterling

A house fire in the 500 block of N. Fillmore Avenue on Sunday evening, Dec. 21, left four occupants displaced and resulted in damages estimated at $270,336. The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office has determined the fire was accidental, due to an electrical event within a first-floor bedroom’s outlets. Fortunately, the home’s smoke alarms were working as designed and alerted the occupants to the fire. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls for a reported structure fire. LCFR units from Sterling, Cascades, and Kincora, as well as Fairfax County and multiple command and safety officers responded to the scene.

The first-arriving engine found a single-family home with smoke coming from the front and requested a Rapid Intervention Taskforce to bring additional firefighting resources to the scene. Crews quickly located and extinguished a fire on the first floor.

Unfortunately, accidental electrical fires do occur. There are, however, several steps you can take to
keep you and your family safe:

• Electrical work should be done by a qualified electrician and meet local permitting requirements. Immediately call a qualified electrician if you have frequent issues with blowing or tripping circuit breakers, observe sparks, discoloration, or a burning smell near outlets, or feel a tingling sensation when touching an electrical appliance.
• Ensure all appliances are using the proper type of wall receptacle outlet. Plug ALL major appliances directly into a wall receptacle outlet.
• Do not use extension cords and power strips in place of permanent wiring.
• Inspect cords regularly and immediately unplug and replace those with any damage or fraying.
• Take a moment to complete the National Fire Protection Association’s Electrical Safety Checklist to ensure that your home is protected against electrical fires.
• Ensure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms and test them regularly. LCFR offers free smoke alarm assessments to Loudoun County residents to ensure all homes in the community have these life-saving devices. Visit our website to learn more and schedule your free assessment.

For additional fire prevention and life safety information, visit our website.