The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that unattended cooking was the cause of a fatal house fire in Sterling and have estimated damages to the home at $144,000. The investigation also revealed that there were no working smoke alarms in the residence.
A 9-1-1 call came into the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center just before 3:00 a.m., Sunday, October 6, 2019 reporting a house fire in the 200 block of Giles Place in Sterling. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from a two-story townhouse and one adult outside suffering from burn injuries. The patient was transported to the Burn Center at MedStar Washington Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Once inside, firefighters located an adult male who was brought outside to waiting EMS crews. Paramedics immediately began advanced life support care and transported the victim to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. One additional resident refused medical treatment on the scene.
Loudoun County Fire Officials remind residents of easy steps you can take to prevent these fires and protect your family if a fire does occur:
• Stay in the kitchen while cooking, especially on the stovetop. If you leave the kitchen, even briefly, turn off the stove. If baking, roasting, or broiling, set timers to remind you food is cooking.
• Have working smoke alarms! Smoke Alarms provide an early warning giving you more time to safely escape. Install smoke alarms on every level, outside the door of any sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Test alarms monthly, change the battery, and replace after 10 years. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue has a free smoke alarm program, to learn more visit www.loudoun.gov/smokealarms for more information.
• Close Before You Doze! Closing your bedroom door before going to sleep can help slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. Homes have more open layouts, and lightweight construction materials which allow fires to spread much quicker affecting the time a family has to escape.
• Have a home escape plan! A family has as little as 2-3 minutes to escape should a fire occur. Discuss with your family a home escape plan that includes two ways out of each room and an outside meeting place.
For more fire prevention information for you and your family, please visit www.loudoun.gov/firemarshal or call Lisa Braun, Public Education Manager at 571-258-3222.
