Several patients evaluated after morning fire at Sterling rehabilitation facility

A fire at Potomac Falls Health and Rehab, a medical rehabilitation facility located at 46531 Leesburg Pike in Sterling, resulted in several residents being evaluated for possible smoke inhalation Thursday morning, Jan. 8. Three residents were transported to area hospitals for further evaluation, and eight occupants were treated and/or released on scene. There were no reported firefighter injuries. The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office performed an investigation and determined that the cause of the fire, which originated in a patient’s room on the ground floor, was accidental in nature, and was caused by an unspecified electrical event in an HVAC unit.  Damages are estimated to be $963,575.00.

At approximately 7:33 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received multiple calls for a reported structure fire at the facility. Fire and rescue units from Sterling Park, Cascades, Kincora, Lansdowne and Fairfax County and multiple command and safety officers were dispatched to the scene. The first-arriving units reported smoke in the hallways and visible fire from a second-floor room.

A Rapid Intervention Taskforce and EMS Taskforce were requested to bring additional firefighting and emergency medical resources to the scene. Crews quickly located the fire in a second-floor patients’ room and reported the fire was extinguished within approximately seven minutes. As the fire was being extinguished, firefighters and deputies from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the removal of numerous occupants of the facility.

Following extinguishment, crews conducted ventilation operations, completed primary and secondary searches. Fire and rescue units worked with facility staff to relocate residents to safe areas within the building to shelter in place. Air monitoring conducted throughout the incident showed no hazardous conditions.

Firefighters remained on scene performing salvage and overhaul operations and assisted representatives from the facility on reoccupying safe parts of the building.

A total of 11 residents were evaluated by EMS personnel. Three residents were transported to Reston Hospital Center and Inova Loudoun Hospital – Lansdowne for further evaluation. One patient was later transferred to the Washington Hospital Burn Cener for specialized care.  Eight residents refused care after being evaluated by fire and rescue units.

Smoke alarms and the fire sprinkler system were present and activated as designed, alerting residents and staff. These systems are critical in medical facilities, providing valuable time to notify occupants and support evacuation.

For additional fire prevention and life safety information, visit loudoun.gov/FireSafety.