Tysons Apartment Fire Caused By Unattended Candles Extinguished By Fire Sprinkler

On Sunday, September 6 at approximately 5:06 a.m., units were dispatched for a reported apartment fire in the 7900 block of Westpark Drive in the Tysons area of Fairfax County.

Units arrived on the scene of a 26-story, high rise apartment building with no smoke or fire evident. Crews went to the 23rd floor to investigate. Firefighters found the fire sprinkler system had activated and extinguished the fire prior to fire department arrival. The fire was contained to the apartment with minimal extension of smoke outside the unit. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported.

One occupant was home at the time of the fire. The smoke alarm woke the occupant and she observed fire on the couch. She self-evacuated and called 9-1-1. The fire alarm system sounded and alerted other building residents.

Fire Investigators determined that the fire was accidental in nature and started in the living room. The cause of the fire was unattended lit candles.

One occupant was displaced because of the fire. Red Cross assistance offered and declined. Damages as a result of the fire were approximately $25,000.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue would like to remind all residents that fire sprinklers save lives and property!

Tysons Corner Center First Responders Day

Join us on the plaza! Meet Fairfax County’s finest! See fire trucks, police cars and police dogs!

Watch Fairfax1, the County’s helicopter, land on the parking deck! Plus lots of free family friendly activities including face painting, balloons, and music. 

Saturday August 18, 2018
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
1961 Chain Bridge Road Tysons Corner, VA 22102

Bring the family – it’s fun for all ages!

Overheated Exhaust Fan Sparks Tyson’s Corner Fire

On Wednesday, May 31, at approximately 5:17 p.m., units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and Arlington County Fire Department were dispatched for a reported building fire in the 1900 block of Chain Bridge Road in the Tyson’s Corner section of Fairfax County. 

First arriving units reported smoke showing from the roof of the building. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire, which was held in check by two fire sprinkler heads, located in the storage room.

The mall was open and occupied by employees and patrons at the time of the fire. The fire was discovered by an employee who smelled an odor of burning plastic from the storage room of the kiosk. The fire was discovered prior to the activation of smoke alarms and the fire sprinkler system. 

Fire Investigators determined that the fire started in a storage room. The fire was determined to be accidental in nature and caused by an overheated exhaust fan motor which ignited paper towel rolls stored on a wall mounted shelving unit below the fan.

There were no reported firefighter or civilian injuries. No Red Cross services were required. Damages as a result of the fire were estimated to be approximately $30,000.