Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
4100 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-246-3801, TTY: 711 and Fax:703-385-1687
Duty PIO (Weekends/After-hours): 703-280-0694
Media Information Line: 703-324-3000
Email: fire-rescue.Pa-LSE@fairfaxcounty.gov
Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire

3/01/08

McLean Apartment Fire Causes Injury

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department units responded to an apartment fire at approximately 7:45 p.m., Saturday, March 1, 2008, in the McLean area of Fairfax County. The apartment complex, The Colonies, is located at 7600 Tremayne Place.

Firefighters entered a second floor apartment and saw smoke and fire upon arrival. Firefighters extinguished the fire in the kitchen area in approximately 15 minutes. The fire was contained to the kitchen of the three-story building. Additionally, the apartment directly below received minor water damage. One adult male has been displaced. The adult male was transported to the Washington Hospital Burn Center with life-threatening injuries.

Damage is estimated at $25,000.

According to fire investigators, the fire was accidental. The fire started in the kitchen on the stove.

Kitchen Safety Tips

• Enforce a “kid-free zone” of three feet around your stove.
• Wear short or tight fitting sleeves when cooking. Long loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.
• Keep things that can catch fire such as dish towels, curtains, or paper, at least three feet away from the stove.
• Do not leave cooking food unattended.
• Turn pot handles inward, facing the wall to prevent burns caused by overturning or spills.
• Pot holders or oven mitts prevent burns when handling hot dishes.
• Regularly clean your cooking equipment so that there are no cooking materials, food items or grease accumulation.
• Have a pot lid handy to smother a pan fire. Do not attempt to pick up the pot or pan. Shut off the heat and cover the fire with a lid.

For more information, call Daniel L. Schmidt or Lieutenant Raúl G. Castillo, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, 703-246-3801 and TTY: 711. Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request.