News

UPDATED: Residents escape house fire in Del Ray

By Emily Leayman and James Cullum
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The Alexandria Fire Department say there were no firefighter or resident injuries from a house fire in Del Ray Wednesday afternoon (June 3).

Around 3:05 p.m., AFD was dispatched to the 2600 block of E. Randolph Avenue. According to AFD, firefighters found the blaze in the backyard area that had extended into the home.

On the scene of the fire, the homeowner told ALXnow she, her partner and son had safely escaped. The status of seven animals in the home was not immediately known. Scanner traffic indicated firefighters conducted a search of the home.

Firefighters from Fairfax and Arlington counties provided mutual aid. Units brought the fire under control and worked to prevent further spread.

An investigation by the fire marshal’s office found the fire started in a backyard feature and spread to combustible materials and extending to the home.

The homeowner believes the fire started in a backyard fire pit when an ember caught fire on a seat cushion, causing the side of the house and a fence to burn up. The homeowner did not know the extent of damage.

AFD says the home is uninhabitable after the fire. The resident was displaced and is receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

Smoke from the fire was visible from Arlington, the District and other surrounding areas. ALXnow has confirmed this is the same site where a house burned down in 2020.

This story has been updated with additional details from the scene of the house fire and the Alexandria Fire Department.

Fire photos via AFD/Facebook

About the Authors

  • Emily Leayman is the editor of ALXnow and contributes reporting to ARLnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.