Car Engulfed in Flames Blocks Traffic On GW Parkway For 4 Hours

ROSSLYN, VA — Outbound traffic on George Washington Parkway was snarled for several hours Tuesday morning as Arlington County Fire personnel worked to extinguish a burning car.

A 911 call reporting a vehicle on fire came into the Emergency Communications Center at 9:31 a.m., according to ACFD public information officer Taylor Blunt. Units were dispatched to the northbound section of the parkway near Spout Run. They found a sedan fully engulfed in flames.

"Crews called in additional assistance and used a mix of water and firefighting foam to extinguish the fire within minutes of arrival," Blunt said. "HAZMAT crews were then requested to assist in the cleanup of the foam as a precaution. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters and crews cleared the scene before noon."

U.S Park Police closed both northbound lanes of the parkway for approximately four hours, so that fire personnel could respond to the blaze and conduct cleanup operations. The roadway was reported reopened to traffic shortly after 2 p.m.

"At this point, we aren't sure of the cause of the fire and do not have a damage estimate," Blunt said.

#Advisory Earlier this morning units responded to a vehicle fire on NB GW Parkway near the Key Bridge. Crews used firefighting foam to fully extinguish the vehicle. HAZMAT units are now on scene for clean up. Expect lane closures to remain for an extended period. pic.twitter.com/AjrgFCXSJP
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) April 15, 2021