67 Residents Displaced by Fire Saturday Night at Richmond Highway Apartment Building

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- (UPDATE Sunday night) At approximately 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, firefighters from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue were dispatched to a reported fire in a garden apartment building in the 8400 block of Richmond Highway, in the Mount Vernon area of Fairfax County.

The location was identified as the Woodlawn Garden Apartments.

When they arrived, firefighters found a three-story garden apartment building with fire shooting through the roof, according to the fire department. A second alarm was immediately requested based on the conditions faced on arrival, the department said.

Firefighters on the scene determined that there was a well-advanced fire in the attic of the building, the department said. Firefighters gained access to that area and fire hoses were put in place to extinguish the fire.
The occupants in the building were alerted to the fire by an occupant who discovered the fire, according to the fire department. Smoke alarms were present, however, they did not activate due to the location of the fire.

The building has a total of 12 apartments and the fire department said there are approximately 67 occupants displaced by the fire. Red Cross and the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management are providing assistance to the displaced occupants. No firefighter injuries were reported. One civilian was transported to an area hospital for a checkup, the fire department reported.

Fire investigators determined that the fire originated in the attic space of the building. The fire is classified as "accidental" in nature with the cause due to a mechanical failure of a natural gas furnace flue. Radiant heat escaping through a damaged section of the flue ignited ordinary combustibles in the attic space.

Approximately 60 firefighters responded to the scene. Damages to the building as a result of the fire are estimated to be approximately $227, 500.

Approximate location of fire Saturday (Google maps):

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