Fire Marshal’s from Loudoun County Fire and Rescue are offering safety tips after this morning’s electrical fire in Sterling destroyed a structure and injured one adult.
Just after 11:30 a.m., Friday, February 18, 2022, the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a fire in the garage of a home on Lakeland Drive in Sterling. The call was quickly dispatched bringing Loudoun County Fire and Rescue (LCFR) units from Kincora, Sterling Park, Cascades, Ashburn, along with units from Fairfax County, VA to the scene.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy fire and smoke showing from a large, detached garage that was located behind a single-family residence. As crews approached, they observed a vehicle on fire inside the garage and an injured adult outside the structure. Firefighters immediately used hoselines to extinguish the car fire inside the garage as paramedics treated the injured civilian. The LCFR Fire Marshal’s Office investigated and determined the fire to be accidental, attributed to the use of temporary electrical wiring for permanent use. Fire damages are estimated at $210,000. One civilian was transported from the scene to The Burn Center at MedStar Washington Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries, there were no injuries to first responders.
To reduce the risk of this type of electrical fire in your home, ensure that extension cords and power strips are not used in place of permanent wiring as they are only intended for temporary use. Remember, all major appliances such as refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc., should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. For more electrical fire safety tips and fire prevention guidance, please visit www.Loudoun.gov/FirePrevention or call Lisa Braun, LCFR’s Public Education Manager, at 571-258-3222.