Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Around 4:00 AM, Engine 503B was dispatched to a water hazard in the 16000 block of Flotilla Wy. off Powells Creek Blvd. in Dumfries. A neighbor told dispatch that there was a lot of water flooding her downstairs. E503B arrived on scene to find an end-row townhouse with the front door open. E503B's crew made entry and was met with moderate smoke conditions. After a quick search of the townhouse no fire was found and the sprinkler system was secured. A more detailed size up of the master bedroom was conducted (where the sprinkler was activated) and a mattress was found to have been on fire as well as the wall behind it.
The sprinkler system extinguished the fire prior to arrival; if not the fire could have been much worse. The cause of the fire is unknown at the time of this story. The scene was turned over to the on-duty Fire Marshall and E503B cleared the scene around 5:40 AM.
UPDATE: Prince William County Fire Marshals arrested a 27-year-old and charged him with arson. InsideNoVA.com reports the man entered a bedroom of a bottom-level, town house-style apartment about 4 a.m., lit a pillow on fire, and left.
