Just after 3:30 p.m., Saturday, February 23, 2019, units from Ashburn and Lansdowne were dispatched for a reported automatic fire alarm in an 11-story high-rise building located in the 19000 block of Cypress Ridge Terrace in Lansdowne Woods, Leesburg, VA. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a fire in a third-floor apartment and requested additional units to assist at the incident scene. The Loudoun County Emergency Communication Center dispatched additional units from Kincora, Cascades, Moorefield, Leesburg, and numerous command and safety officers.
Firefighters located a fire on an enclosed balcony which had been suppressed by the building’s automatic fire sprinkler system. The activation of the sprinkler system prevented further fire damage to the building. Fire and rescue personnel completed the extinguishment of the fire and assisted with removing smoke from the structure and safeguarding the occupants. Personnel were able to render the building safe in a relatively short period of time with the occupants of two apartments displaced. No injuries occurred to the occupants or fire and rescue personnel.
The Loudoun County Fire Marshals are continuing their investigation to the cause of the fire which is undetermined at this time. Initial damage is estimated at $200,000. Fortunately, the fire activated the building’s fire alarm and automatic sprinkler system which extinguished the majority of the fire prior to the arrival of emergency personnel. “If the sprinkler heads had not been in place and operated as designed, this fire could have been significantly more severe,” said System Chief Keith Johnson. “This incident is a prime example of the positive impact of a fire protection alarm and automatic sprinkler system. A small fire triggered the monitored fire alarm system and firefighters were dispatched immediately and the fire was quickly contained by the automatic sprinkler system. The sprinkler activation kept the fire under control until firefighters could get on scene and damages to the building were directly minimized.” Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials remain strong advocates of automatic fire sprinkler systems and their safety benefits. To learn more about fire prevention activities and education in Loudoun County, visit www.loudoun.gov/firemarshal or call 703-737-8600.
Additionally, just after 2:00 a.m., Sunday, February 24, 2019, the Loudoun County Emergency Communication Center started receiving multiple calls reporting a structure fire in the 40000 block of Glenrose Terrace in Lucketts. Units from Lucketts, Leesburg, Lansdowne, Lovettsville, Hamilton, Purcellville and numerous command and safety officers responded. Firefighters arrived to find a mobile home heavily involved in fire and quickly spreading to two adjacent trailers. This small mobile home development has extremely tightly spaced trailers which contributed to the spread of the fire. This incident was also located in a rural area with no fire hydrants available for water; as such, a Tanker Task Force was dispatched bringing additional units from Purcellville, Round Hill and units from Frederick Co., Maryland.
Firefighters arrived on scene and once it was confirmed everyone had evacuated the mobile homes, they performed an exterior attack on the fire. The fire was contained to the trailer of origin and the trailers on either side of it. Fourteen people were displaced from their homes and were assisted on the scene by the American Red Cross. The residents in the adjacent homes were awaken to the fire by functioning smoke alarms which is attributed to them escaping without harm. The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has ruled the fire to be incendiary in nature and continues their investigation. No injuries occurred to the occupants of the trailers or fire and rescue personnel.
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