house fire

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Driving over the Roosevelt Bridge on I-66 (Flickr pool photo by Brian Allen)

Fire Victim Identified — The victim of Thursday’s fatal house fire on S. Randolph Street has been identified. Family and friends said 73-year-old Dennis Lee was a retired contractor, a longtime Dallas Cowboys fan and a member of the local American Legion post. He died from smoke inhalation. In the wake of his death, firefighters plan to canvass Lee’s neighborhood to test and distribute smoke detectors. [NBC Washington – Warning: Auto-play video]

Preserving H-B’s Walls — The walls of the H-B Woodlawn secondary program are covered with more than 2,000 inscriptions from past graduating classes. School officials are considering ways to digitally preserve the painted walls when the program moves to Rosslyn in five years. [Falls Church News-Press]

Historic Designation for Wilson School? — Despite opposition from school officials, the county’s Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board voted unanimously on Wednesday to recommend a local historic district designation for the Wilson School in Rosslyn. The Wilson School is the second-oldest school in Arlington and preservationists are trying to save it from being razed to make way for a larger building that will house the H-B Woodlawn program. [InsideNova]

Alexandria Has School Issues, Too — Like Arlington, neighboring Alexandria is also facing a school budget deficit and rising enrollment. Another issue facing Alexandria: competing with Arlington for teachers. Arlington’s average teacher salary is $76,892, compared to $73,612 in Alexandria. [Alexandria Times]

Arlington Named Top ‘Intelligent Community’ — For the third time, Arlington has been named one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities in the world. “It is gratifying to have the Intelligent Community Forum recognize Arlington’s commitment to economic sustainability,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said, in a statement. [Arlington Economic Development]

Destroyed N.J. Apartment Has Arlington Connection — The New Jersey apartment complex that burned to the ground, leaving hundreds homeless, is owned by Arlington-based AvalonBay Communities. The $80 million apartment complex was made from wood construction, which caused it to burn too quickly for firefighters to get it under control. [Bloomberg]

Flickr pool photo by Brian Allen

Victim of Early Morning House Fire Dies

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

The man who was rescued from this morning’s house fire near Shirlington has died from smoke inhalation, according to the Arlington County Fire Department.

The victim has not yet been identified, pending notification of his family, ACFD spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani told ARLnow.com.

The fire, on the 2100 block of S. Randolph Street, began around 4:30 a.m. and drew about 70 firefighters to the scene. It was knocked down within 30 minutes, the fire department said. Damage to the house is estimated at $90,000.

The victim was trapped on the first floor when firefighters found him, Marchegiani said. He was transported to Virginia Hospital Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. There were smoke alarms in the house, but investigators don’t yet know if they were working.

The fire was the second in two days. Firefighters successfully rescued two people from the roof of a burning house in the Old Glebe neighborhood early Wednesday morning.

This was the first fire fatality of 2015. Four people died in house fires in 2014, Marchegiani said. In 2013, there were no deaths from fires in Arlington.

The fire department is reminding residents that it supplies free smoke detector installations. From a press release:

The Arlington County Fire Department reminds you to:

  • Install smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom.
  • Test your smoke alarms every month by pressing the “test” button.
  • Change the batteries in all alarms twice a year with daylight savings time, unless you alarm is equipped with a 10 year lithium battery.
  • Ensure every person in your home understands and practices your home fire escape plantwice a year. Your plan should include two ways out of every room, getting low, closing the door behind, going directly to your predetermined family meeting place, and then calling 9-1-1.

If you do not have a working smoke alarm, the fire department provides free smoke alarm installations for Arlington County residents.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Soldiers from The Old Guard in the snow (photo via @The_Old_Guard)

Another Early Morning Fire — Arlington County firefighters rescued a man from an early morning house fire on the 2100 block of S. Randolph Street. This is the second day in a row that Arlington firefighters rescued someone from a house fire. [WJLA]

Association Moves from Alexandria to Arlington — The American Diabetes Association is moving from Alexandria to Arlington. The association has signed a 78,000 square foot lease for a building in Crystal City. The building, owned by Vornado, has been vacant since the previous military moved out due to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act. [Washington Business Journal]

Snow Total for Arlington — Yesterday’s afternoon snowfall resulted in an accumulation of 0.4 inches in Arlington, according to a measurement at Reagan National Airport. In the Great Falls section of Fairfax County, 1.8 inches was recorded. [National Weather Service]

Va. Considering All-HOT Lanes I-66 — Virginia is considering a plan to convert I-66 to HOT lanes only during peak periods. That would mean that transit and carpools of three or more people are allowed to use the highway for free during rush hours, but anyone else has to pay tolls. Construction could begin as soon as next year, with the goal of starting HOT lane service by 2017. [Washington Post]

Opening Date for Kapnos in Ballston — Kapnos Taverna, the new 165-seat Greek restaurant from chef Mike Isabella, has set an official opening date of Tuesday, Jan. 27. The restaurant is located at 4000 Wilson Blvd in Ballston.

Photo via @The_Old_Guard

ACFD: Smoke Alarms, Escape Plan Saved Lives in House Fire

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Two people were rescued by Arlington firefighters this morning, but the fire department says their lives were also saved by working smoke detectors and a fire escape plan.

The fire broke out just before 3:30 this morning on the 4500 block of 40th Street N., in the Old Glebe neighborhood. The home’s occupants were woken up by smoke detectors, and made their way to the roof after not being able to get downstairs. Firefighters used ladders to bring the pair to safety.

ACFD is using the blaze and the dramatic rescue to remind residents about steps they can take now that will save lives in the event of a fire. From a press release:

Early this morning, Arlington County firefighters responded to a house fire in North Arlington and found two adults trapped on the roof of their two-story home. Firefighters used ground ladders to quickly rescue the occupants before transporting both of them to the hospital for minor injuries.

The occupants later told fire department officials that they were sleeping when the fire started and awoke to the sound of their smoke alarms. They were unable to go down the stairs, due to the large amount of smoke, but they had previously prepared a fire escape plan and knew a second way out of their home. The occupants remained calm, climbed onto the roof and called 9-1-1 for help. Working smoke alarms alerted them to the fire when they were sleeping, and following their fire escape plan allowed them to stay safe while firefighters responded.

According to U.S. Fire Administration, more than 80% of civilian fire fatalities occur in residential buildings. Maintaining your smoke alarm and practicing your fire escape plan are necessary to keep you and your family safe in the event of a fire.

The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) reminds you to:

  • Install smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom.
  • Test your smoke alarms every month by pressing the “test” button.
  • Change the batteries in all alarms twice a year with daylight savings time, unless you alarm is equipped with a 10 year lithium battery.
  • Ensure every person in your home understands and practices your home fire escape plan twice a year. Your plan should include two ways out of every room, getting low, closing the door behind, going directly to your predetermined family meeting place, and then calling 9-1-1.

The ACFD also urges you to seek assistance if you encounter potential hoarding conditions. The amount of clutter and personal belongings in this home hindered firefighters’ ability to quickly gain access and extinguish the fire. There were no additional injuries in this case, but hoarding conditions can have deadly consequences for the occupants and first responders, such as blocked exits, falling objects, excessive fire load and potential for collapse. Arlington County Hoarding Task Force provides resources for the community, while maintaining the person’s right to privacy.

Photos courtesy @CAPT258

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Yellow-bellied sapsucker in Barcroft Park (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Two Rescued From House Fire — Arlington County firefighters battled an early morning house fire in the Old Glebe neighborhood overnight. Two adults were rescued from the roof of the three-alarm fire. An ACFD spokesman said hoarding conditions inside the home made battling the blaze more difficult. [WUSA9, WJLA]

Two Trees Considered for ‘Specimen’ Status — The Arlington County Board will vote this weekend, then hold a public hearing, then vote again next month, to determine whether two trees should be protected with a “specimen tree” designation. [Arlington County]

Future of Arlington’s Office Market — The Arlington County Board held a work session Tuesday to discuss the future of the office market in the county. Arlington Economic Development produced a video that discusses how the office market is changing and how that pertains to local policymaking. [YouTube]

Anti-DACA Bill Defeated — A bill that would have denied in-state tuition to some immigrant students has been defeated in the Virginia state senate. Last week, Arlington’s Del. Alfonso Lopez (D) vowed to fight the bill, which was aimed at students who had been protected from deportation by the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. [Virginian-Pilot]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

House Catches Fire in Arlington Heights

By Ethan Rothstein
1/6

A second-story bedroom caught fire earlier this afternoon on the 300 block of S. Jackson Street in the Arlington Heights neighborhood.

The Arlington County Fire Department received a call for smoke showing from the bedroom’s window at 1:01 p.m. and the fire was knocked down by 1:15 p.m., according to Deputy Fire Marshal Brian McGraw. Three of the house’s 12 regular occupants were inside when the fire started, a woman and two children, but all refused medical transport.

The damage was largely contained to the bedroom. McGraw said the investigation had just begun into the source and cause of the fire, and couldn’t comment on whether there were working smoke detectors in the residence.

Firefighters, when doing checks of the rooms, found a small amount of marijuana, Arlington County Police Department Lt. Kip Malcolm told ARLnow.com, but the police do not plan on prosecuting the drug charges.

“If someone’s got a joint, or small amount of marijuana, in their house, that isn’t something the police department is going to be interested in spending a whole lot of resources on,” Malcolm said.

Scammer Targets House Fire Victims’ Fundraising Efforts

By Ethan Rothstein

Fatal S. Emerson Street fire (photo via Fox 5)The online fundraiser set up to help Bill and Sarah Barkes — the survivors of the fatal house fire from earlier this month — has reached more than $70,000 in donations, but at least one scam artist appears to be trying to profit from the family’s pain.

According to an update on the Barkes family’s GoFundMe page, a Craigslist post was made by someone posing as a relative of the family under the guise of “collecting money through Paypal.”

The GoFundMe page is maintained by Joy Chadwick, the sister of the mother who died in the blaze trying to save one of her daughters, Emily, who also died. Chadwick has been updating the nearly 1,000 people who have donated to the cause in the two weeks since the fire. Chadwick wrote yesterday that Sarah was released from the hospital after more than a week in intensive care.

“[Bill Barkes] said the doctors were very excited about how fast Sarah was healing and at the this time no surgery is needed,” Chadwick wrote last week. “He said she is working hard on her physical therapy. If she continues with this progress she might be able to leave the hospital by Saturday. She is excited that some of her teachers are coming to visit her today.”

Chadwick wrote the family still has “not decided where they will live.” The cat that was missing after the fire was found and is currently living with Chadwick’s other sister, according to the page.

Video: Dad, Daughter Talk About Fatal House Fire

By ARLnow.com

Arlington resident Bill Barkes and his 11-year-old daughter, Sarah, are now talking about the house fire they survived last week — the fire that claimed the lives of his wife and her sister.

Barkes told NBC4’s Pat Collins that he tried tried to save Mary and Emily after climbing a ladder and saving Sarah, who is now recovering from severe burns, but the fire was too hot.

“I felt helpless… I didn’t want to leave them,” he said, sobbing, in Sarah’s hospital room. “I wanted to jump in but I figured if I did and I didn’t get out she’d be an orphan.”

Mary, Bill’s wife, died after running back in the house to try to save Emily.

An online fundraising campaign for the family has so far raised more than $66,000.

Fund Established for Victims of Fatal House Fire

By Ethan Rothstein

Fire victim Mary Barkes and daughter (photo via GoFundMe)(Updated at 5:10 p.m.) An online fundraising drive has raised more than $18,000 to support the Barkes family, the victims of the fatal house fire in South Arlington on Tuesday.

The GoFundMe campaign is up to $18,650 as of 5:00 p.m., with nearly 250 people donating since the campaign launched on Wednesday.

The money raised will help the survivors, Bill and his daughter Sarah, who were both hurt in the fire. Bill’s wife, Mary, and eight-year-old daughter Emily died in the blaze.

“They have lost everything,” the GoFundMe page says. “Their family required two incomes and now they have one. Please make a donation. Anything and everything will help. If you can’t give please say a prayer for Sarah and Billy.”

The page was started by Joy Chadwick, Mary’s sister, who wrote an update to the drive’s blog three hours ago:

“We are at the hospital now with Sarah,” the page says. “She has just had her bandages changed. They have to sedate her in order to change her bandages. Thankfully today she will be moved out of intensive care unit to a regular room. She will still have to stay in the hospital a couple of days. Her arms are wrapped from her shoulders to her fingers. She is being very brave. We are working on their living arrangements. Again thank you so much for everything. Please help us get the word out and share this on your page. God Bless you all.”

The Arlington County Fire Department is still investigating the fire, a process that is expected to take a few weeks. There were no working smoke detectors in the home at the time of the fire, an ACFD spokeswoman said.

Photo via GoFundMe

Report: Mother Died Trying to Rescue Daughter from Fire

By ARLnow.com

We’re learning more about the two Arlington residents who died in a house fire in the Columbia Forest neighborhood early Tuesday morning.

TV stations, including NBC 4 and Fox 5, are reporting that the victims were Mary Barkes and her 8-year-old daughter, Emily.

According to Fox 5, Mary’s husband, Bill, managed to escape the blaze in nothing but his boxer shorts, then used a ladder to save his 11-year-old daughter, Sarah. He was unable to go back into the house due to the intensity of the flames.

Mary, meanwhile, was the first one out of the home, according to NBC 4. She ran back in the home to try to save Emily, but was overcome by fire and smoke. It took firefighters 15 minutes of fighting the flames before they were able to enter the home and find their bodies.

Fatal S. Emerson Street fire (photo via Fox 5)The survivors, Bill and Sarah, were transported to local hospitals for smoke inhalation and burns and are expected to recover.

There were no working fire detectors in the home, according to an Arlington County Fire Department spokesman. The investigation into the cause is expected to take a number of weeks.

UPDATED: Two Dead in Early Morning Fire

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9:00 a.m.) Two people have been killed in an early morning house fire in the Columbia Forest neighborhood.

The two-alarm blaze was reported at 4:17 a.m., at a house on the 1100 block of S. Emerson Street, not far from Wakefield High School.

Firefighters arrived at 4:23 a.m. and found heavy fire extending from the first floor to the second floor. They also encountered an adult and a child who had escaped the fire, standing outside and yelling that another adult and child were trapped inside.

It took about 15 minutes to get the fire under control, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokeswoman Lt. Sarah Marchegiani. Firefighters found the trapped adult and child deceased inside the house.

WJLA reported that the two survivors were an adult man and his middle school-aged daughter. They were transported to Medstar Washington Hospital Center and Children’s National Medical Center, respectively, said Marchegiani.

As is standard procedure for a major fatal fire, Arlington County fire marshals, police and ATF agents are all investigating the blaze.

“It’s going to be a slow and methodical process,” said Marchegiani. “I don’t anticipate any updates today on the cause of the fire.”

In a press release this afternoon, fire officials say the home lacked working smoke detectors.

Early this morning, Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) responded to a house fire at 1106 S. Emerson St. that claimed the lives of two of the occupants. Firefighters arrived to find two victims outside the home with reports of two additional people trapped inside. Firefighters encountered a large volume of fire on the first and second floors. They called a second alarm, bringing a total of approximately 70 firefighters to the scene, including personnel from Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department and Alexandria Fire Department. It took approximately 15 minutes to bring the fire under control and locate the bodies of the two deceased victims.

The two victims found outside the home were transported by medic unit for smoke inhalation and burns to Medstar Washington Hospital Center and Children’s National Medical Center, both in stable condition.

ACFD Fire Marshals are investigating the origin and cause of the fire, with assistance from Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

One occupant reported the home had no working smoke alarms and they were alerted to the fire by the sound of crackling. Smoke alarms allow for early warning of a fire, increasing the time for escape and the chances of survival.

ACFD urges everyone to:

  • Install smoke alarms on every floor and in every bedroom.
  • Test the alarms every month by pushing the test button.
  • Change the batteries in the alarms twice a year with daylight savings time.
  • Replace all alarms every 10 years, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Ensure every person in your home knows and practices your home escape plan. Include a plan for anyone in your home that needs assistance evacuating. Remember to have two ways out of every room, get low, close the door behind you, go to your family meeting place and once outside, stay outside.

Read more information on smoke alarms or request a smoke alarm if you cannot afford to purchase one.

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