fire | ALXnow - Part 3

Systems Planning and Analysis expansion into Alexandria leads this week’s top stories

Published September 12, 2025 at 3:47PM

Officials cut a ribbon at Systems Planning & Analysis announcement on Sept. 11, 2025 (staff photo by Ryan Belmore)

Here’s a rundown of our top stories.

Our top story this week is on the Thursday, Sept. 11, announcement that Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA) will expand its Alexandria headquarters and create 1,200 new jobs over the next five years as part of a $46.9 million investment across Northern Virginia. The defense contractor bought, and will renovate, a 239,000-square-foot office building at 2001 N. Beauregard Street. Attendees at the announcement included Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.

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Dog dies in Old Town high-rise apartment fire

By James Cullum

Published September 10, 2025 at 10:00AM

A high-rise building fire was extinguished at 1202 S. Washington Street on Sept. 9, 2025 (via IAFF/Facebook)

A dog died in a high-rise apartment fire at 1202 S. Washington Street on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 9).

The Alexandria Fire Department responded to the blaze at an apartment on the eighth floor just before 4 p.m. and found “dark smoke conditions,” as well as a smoldering mattress and a deceased dog in a cage by the bed, according to AFD dispatches.

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Car fire extinguished in Alexandria’s West End, no injuries reported

By James Cullum

Published August 13, 2025 at 1:15PM

Car fire in the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street, Aug. 13, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141/Facebook)

Alexandria Fire Department extinguished a car fire in the West End on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

The fire was reported at a car parked in the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street at around 5:30 a.m. The 911 caller reported that a black Honda Accord was on fire.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published August 8, 2025 at 3:30PM

Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita will open at 529 E Howell Ave in Alexandria (via Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita Mexicana on Facebook)

We made it to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories.

Our most-read post is on a proposal to open a 24-hour Mexican restaurant in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The effort is facing some pushback from neighbors wary of potential crime and safety issues. In July, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita officially announced in a special use permit application that it wants to open at 529 E. Howell Avenue, the former home to Bark Social. It would be the fourth restaurant for the local chain, and while the restaurant won’t serve alcohol, outside patio hours would be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to the application. The inside area is proposed to be open 24 hours a day.

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Alexandria firefighters help extinguish commercial building blaze in Alexandria area of Fairfax County

By James Cullum

Published August 4, 2025 at 10:30AM

The Alexandria Fire Department helped extinguish a fire in the 5400 Block of Oakwood Road in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County on Aug. 1, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141/Facebook)

No injuries were reported in a commercial building fire in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County on Friday morning (Aug. 1).

The Alexandria Fire Department assisted the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department extinguish the blaze in a small building, which was reported at around 6 a.m.

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Alexandria Fire Department assists in extinguishing two-alarm blazes in Kingstowne and Springfield

By James Cullum

Published July 23, 2025 at 12:30PM

Alexandria firefighters assisted the Fairfax County Fire Department in extinguishing a two-alarm fire at the Coventry townhomes in the 5000 block of Dunstable Lane in Kingstowne, July 23, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141/Facebook)

The Alexandria Fire Department assisted in extinguishing two-alarm fires in Fairfax County this morning (July 23).

No injuries were reported in the early morning fires at three townhouses in Kingstowne and at Anytime Fitness (6400 Brandon Avenue) in Springfield’s Tower Shopping Center.

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JUST IN: One person injured in storage shed fire at Hertz Car Rental on Richmond Highway

By James Cullum

Published July 15, 2025 at 11:18AM

A fire was extinguished in the rear of the Hertz office at 3800 Richmond Highway on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

One burn victim was transported to the hospital after a fire in a shed containing paint and chemicals behind the Hertz office at 3800 Richmond Highway.

The incident was reported at approximately 9:45 a.m., with the incorrect address listed as Alexandria Toyota, located at 3750 Richmond Highway. Instead, Alexandria and Arlington firefighters found a storage shed in the rear parking lot of the next-door Hertz property “actively on fire.”

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No injuries after lightning strike on roof of Alexandria town house

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2025 at 3:00PM

The Alexandria Fire Department responded to a lightning strike on a two-story townhouse in the 2400 block of N. Dearing Street on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 (via Facebook)

There were no injuries after lightning struck the roof of an Alexandria home on Wednesday night (July 9).

The Alexandria Fire Department was notified at around 6:40 p.m. by the homeowner that the roof of their two-level townhouse was smoking, according to dispatches. Inside, firefighters found and extinguished smoke and fire in the attic.

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AFD finds hoarding conditions in Monday morning townhouse fire in Old Town North

By James Cullum

Published June 16, 2025 at 12:15PM

AFD at the scene of a townhouse fire in the 1000 block of Vernon Street in Old Town North, June 16, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141/Facebook)

No injuries were reported after a townhouse fire in Old Town North Monday morning (June 16).

The Alexandria Fire Department was called at around 3:30 a.m. by neighbors of the two-level home in the 1000 block of Vernon Street. AFD saw white smoke billowing from the rear of the home, and found difficulty gaining entry due to “hoarding conditions,” according to AFD dispatches.

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No injuries in Yoakum Parkway apartment fire

By James Cullum

Published May 27, 2025 at 10:30AM

Fire in the 200 Block of Yoakum Parkway, May May 26, 2025 (via IAFF Local 2141)

A balcony fire at an apartment building in the West End was quickly extinguished Monday morning (May 26), and no injuries were reported.

The Alexandria Fire Department responded to 203 Yoakum Parkway at around 7:45 a.m. to find a fire showing from a fourth-floor apartment balcony. The two occupants inside the apartment were unharmed, and the fire was contained to the balcony, according to AFD dispatches.

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Alexandria Fire Department assists in extinguishing fire at Fairlington Villages management office

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2025 at 3:44PM

Fire at the Fairlington Villages management office (staff photo by James Cullum)

No serious injuries were reported after the management office for the Fairlington Villages condo association caught fire Wednesday afternoon.

Alexandria Fire Department and Arlington firefighters responded around 2 p.m. to a report of a building on fire at 3001 S. Abingdon Street, near Abingdon Elementary School in the Fairlington neighborhood, according to ARLnow. Fairlington Village manages dozens of buildings and about 1,700 townhome and apartments on nearly 100 acres in Alexandria and Arlington. Two firefighters were treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene.