fire

BREAKING NEWS — Man Dies in Fairlington Fire

By Katie Pyzyk

An elderly man is dead after becoming trapped during a fire in his apartment in the 2900 block of S. Buchanan Street in Fairlington.

According to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl, smoke was coming from the top level apartment when crews arrived on the scene. Capt. Karl said because the investigation has just begun, it’s unclear exactly what started the fire and whether the man died from burns or smoke inhalation.

According to a law enforcement source, the fire is not considered suspicious. The victim was reportedly a hoarder and clutter prevented him from escaping from his apartment when the fire broke out. We’re told he was the only person in the apartment at the time and was found dead on the scene when rescue crews arrived. Nobody in any neighboring units was hurt.

About 10 residents have been displaced from their apartments while the investigation is underway, according to Capt. Karl. They are being allowed to seek shelter at the Fairlington Community Center until they receive word about being able to head back to their apartments.

Courtesy photo (top)

 

Small Fire Under Ballston Metro Station Escalator

By ARLnow.com

 

A small fire broke out underneath an escalator at the Ballston Metro station this afternoon as a result of welding work.

“An escalator contractor was welding at the time on the unit, and that a spark from the welding work was the likely cause” of the fire, WMATA spokesman Dan Stessel told ARLnow.com. There were no injuries, smoke has been fully ventilated from the station, and “all protective systems worked as intended,” Stessel said.

Workers managed to extinguish the flames before firefighters arrived, according to ACFD spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl.

The escalator, one of three between the station and an upper bank of escalators, remains out of service.

UPDATE (3): Restaurant Fire on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Updated at 3:10 p.m. — Columbia Pike has reopened to traffic, according to scanner reports.

(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Columbia Pike has been shut down between Walter Reed Drive and S. Courthouse Road as a result of a working fire at a restaurant.

Firefighters arrived on scene at 2520 Columbia Pike around 2:10 p.m., for a fire in the kitchen of the Top’s China takeout restaurant. As of 2:45 p.m., the fire was extinguished and firefighters were checking for remaining hot spots, according to ACFD spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl.

The numerous shops in the strip shopping center in which Top’s is located have been evacuated, Karl said.

Photos courtesy @taylorcarson, @cmags44, @kochimom

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Small Fire Extinguished at Ballston High-Rise

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Fire Department responded to a reported fire at the Residences at Liberty Center apartment building, at 888 N. Quincy Street in Ballston, just before noon today.

Light smoke and flames could be seen coming from the balcony of an apartment on the 16th floor, according to scanner traffic.

Firefighters eventually located the source of the flames — which turned out to be an outdoor potted plant that had somehow caught on fire — and used an extinguisher to put out the flames. Most of the fire equipment that responded to the call is now packing up and clearing the scene, though some road closures may remain for another few minutes.

A fire marshal is being requested to respond to investigate the incident.

File photo

Fire Extinguished at Fairlington Townhouse

By Katie Pyzyk

Fire crews remain at a townhouse Fairlington, where a fire has been extinguished.

The townhouse near S. Buchanan Street and 29th Street was vacant and undergoing renovations.

Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl says the fire started in the basement where construction work was taking place, and spread to the first level. The first and second levels sustained heat and smoke damage.

The fire is currently out and crews are beginning to be released from the scene. The Arlington County Fire Marshal’s office has a representative at the townhouse to begin the investigation.

No construction workers or fire fighters were injured.

Photo courtesy @gogogaryo via Twitter.

Small Fire at Silver Diner in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

 

Firefighters responded to a small fire at Silver Diner in Clarendon (3200 Wilson Boulevard) this afternoon.

The fire was reported in a trash compactor behind the restaurant around 3:00 p.m. The flames, which did not appear to pose a threat to the building, were extinguished by the time fire trucks arrived on scene. Firefighters used a hose to douse some of the smoldering contents of the trash compactor.

Patrons of the diner did not evacuate the building during the incident, we’re told.

Apartment Fire on Columbia Pike

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Firefighters are leaving an apartment building on the 1900 block of Columbia Pike, where they responded to a fire earlier.

Arlington and Fairfax County units fought the small blaze, at the Archstone Columbia Crossing apartments. According to Capt. Gregg Karl, the fire started in a second floor utility closet and spread to an apartment.

There is some water damage on the first and second floors, but there’s no estimate yet on the cost of that damage. There were no reports of injuries.

Right now, investigators are trying to determine exactly what started the fire.

 

Firefighters Battle Attic Fires in Fairlington

By ARLnow.com

Firefighters battled a pair of attic fires in the Fairlington neighborhood of Arlington early this morning.

We hear that lightning from last night’s storms most likely sparked the fires, though as of this afternoon an Arlington County Fire Department spokesman was unable to confirm any details about the cause.

ACFD spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl did reveal, however, that there was “significant damage to both attic areas.”

Photo courtesy @VolunteerHappy

BREAKING NEWS — Fire at Lucky Seven Store in Nauck

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 10:40 a.m.) About two dozen firefighters battled a fire at the Lucky Seven Food Mart at 2406 Shirlington Road in the Nauck neighborhood this morning.

The original call for smoke and flames coming from the store’s roof came in around 9:30 a.m., and drew firefighters from Arlington, Alexandria, Ft. Myer and Fairfax County.

Firefighters used picks and chainsaws to cut holes in the roof in an effort to extinguish the flames. Other firefighters inside the store used thermal imagers to find hotspots in the ceiling.

The spectacle attracted a crowd of nearly three dozen neighbors. Shirlington Road was closed in both directions during the fire, forcing cars and buses to find alternate routes.

No injuries were reported.

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Lights Blinking at Intersection After Fire in Walk Signal

By ARLnow.com

The traffic lights at the intersection of westbound Lee Highway and Lynn Street, in Rosslyn, are blinking due to an earlier fire.

A pedestrian walk signal at the intersection somehow caught on fire around 11:30 this morning. The fire was minor and eventually burned itself out, but not before passersby caught sight of smoke coming from the signal. As a result of the fire, power was temporarily cut to all traffic signals at the intersection.

As of 12:10 p.m., the lights were operating on battery power and blinking red. Police were on scene assisting with traffic control.

Fire at Chicken Restaurant on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 6:45 p.m.) One lane of Columbia Pike is back open in each direction after the road was shut down between S. Monroe Street and S. Oakland Street due to a fire at a chicken restaurant.

A significant kitchen fire broke out at the El Rancho Peruvian Style Chicken & Latin Grill restaurant on the 3600 block of Columbia Pike around 5:00 p.m. Firefighters had to tear out the restaurant’s duct work to battle the blames, we’re told.

The restaurant is expected to remain closed for a few weeks while repairs are made. There was no damage reported at an adjacent drycleaning business.

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