Over a dozen people are displaced following a large fire in a Leesburg, Virginia, town house early Tuesday morning. Loudoun County firefighters responded to the 42000 block of Running Creek Square around 2:14 a.m. Tuesday after a caller reported an explosion and fire in a residence. Crews arrived to find flames burning through the three-story town house’s rear and roof, with smoke venting from windows on all its floors. A second alarm was sounded to bring in additional resources; because of the fire’s extent, crews worked from the home’s exterior to suppress the blaze.
The adjacent town houses on either side of the main residence suffered smoke and water damage, the fire department said. Photos posted to the department’s Twitter feed showed severe damage to the home where the fire broke out:
Early morning Leesburg town house fire injures one firefighter and displaces 13 people. An aggressive fire attack and the use of noncombustible siding significantly aided in preventing the spread of the fire to other townhomes.
Read more at https://t.co/McxT88LHNM@Chief600KJ pic.twitter.com/RDAcYDbhSz — (@LoudounFire) July 26, 2022
All three buildings were deemed uninhabitable. Thirteen residents were displaced and are being assisted by the capital region Red Cross or staying with friends. One resident was treated for minor burn injuries. A firefighter was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Fire officials said the use of noncombustible siding in the home’s construction acted to limit its spread to neighboring buildings. Working smoke detectors were credited for waking up residents and warning them to reach safety. A fundraiser has been started for the victims of this fire and already garnered over $15,000 from participants.