Fire From Wood Stove Damages Local Home

A wood-burning stove has been blamed for a fire Monday that caused an estimated $65,000 in damage to a Wodbridge home, according to the Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue. There were no injuries reported in the blaze.

At 5:30 p.m., fire and rescue crews were dispatched to a single-family house in the 6200 block of Occoquan Forest Drive, off Davis Ford Road near the Occoquan River.

Upon arrival, the firefighters saw the fire in the front and rear of the home through the wood stove exhaust and moving up the exterior. They proceeded to suppress and extinguish the blaze, the fire department said.

The Prince William Fire Marshal’s Office gave a preliminary estimate of the damage at $65,000.

The Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue urges residents to follow these fire and life-safety tips when using wood-burning equipment:

• Each year, prior to using your fireplace or wood stove, have your chimney and vents inspected and cleaned by a qualified professional.
• Have a sturdy fireplace screen or keep the doors on the wood stove closed to stop sparks from flying into the room.
• Burn only dry, seasoned wood in fireplaces and wood stoves and dry, seasoned wood pellets in pellet stoves.
• NEVER start the fire with a flammable liquid, kerosene or gasoline; use newspaper or kindling.
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away.
• NEVER leave a fireplace or wood stove fire unattended, particularly when children are present.
• Allow ashes to cool for several days before disposing (up to 4 days).
• Dispose of ashes in a tightly covered metal container
• Douse and saturate the ashes with water.
• Place the ash container a safe distance from your home (at least 10 feet).
• DO NOT store in your home, garage or other nearby buildings.