The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office (LCFR-FMO) has determined that yesterday’s fire in Sterling was accidental, caused by a malfunctioning air purifier/dehumidifier.
Just after 4:00 p.m., on Thursday, July 13, 2023, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls reporting a house fire at 19,000 block of Youngs Cliff Road in Sterling. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue units from Kincora, Sterling, Lansdowne, and Ashburn stations, as well as Fairfax County responded to the incident.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find a single-story, single-family home with significant smoke and fire coming from the front of the home and all occupants located safely outside. Fire and rescue crews initially attacked the fire from the exterior until safe to move inside. As the home is in an area of the county that does not have fire hydrants, crews completed a rural water supply operation and shuttled water to the scene via 3,000-gallon water tankers.
No civilian injuries were reported however one firefighter was evaluated for a possible heat-related illness. Two adults have been displaced and staying locally with family. The LCFR-FMO estimates the damages at $700,000 ($450,000 structure and $250,000 in contents).
Although the home has suffered catastrophic damages, thanks to working smoke alarms the residents were alerted to the fire with time to safely escape. The early warning smoke alarms provide are critical to the safety of you and your family, providing precious moments to get out in the event of a fire. For more information about smoke alarms or to request a free smoke alarm assessment at any time, visit loudoun.gov/smokealarms or call the smoke alarm program hotline at 703-737-8093. During the free assessment, firefighters will test existing smoke alarms, assist with battery replacement, and replace the smoke alarms at no cost if they are not working properly or exceed the ten-year recommended lifespan.