fire | ALXnow - Part 6

AFD investigates suspected arson at vacant West End house

Published May 4, 2023 at 1:45PM | Updated May 4, 2023 at 3:27PM

There was a fire at 5173 Seminary Road at around 3 a.m. on April 19, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Fire Department suspects arson after a fire at an unoccupied house used for police and fire department training in the West End, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

The fire at 5173 Seminary Road was reported by a passerby at around 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 19, according to AFD. Firefighters arrived to find the boards used to secure the front windows of the vacant house were on fire, and the blaze spread into the interior of the building, according to the search warrant affidavit.

News

BREAKING: Alexandria firefighter injured while responding to fire in Old Town home

By Vernon Miles

Published March 15, 2023 at 1:15PM | Updated March 15, 2023 at 2:04PM

Alexandria Fire Department responding to fire at 200 block of South Fairfax Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 2 p.m.) The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) has put out a fire in a home on the 200 block of South Fairfax Street.

AFD spokesperson Raytevia Evans said Alexandria units are responding to a single-family residential building fire. The 200 block of South Fairfax Street and some of the surrounding streets have been closed.

News

Fire alarms didn’t go off during Saturday’s high-rise apartment fire in the West End

By James Cullum

Published January 30, 2023 at 3:30PM

A fire gutted this apartment at 5340 Holmes Run Parkway on Jan. 28, 2023 (Courtesy photo)

The Alexandria Fire Department confirmed that fire alarms in a high-rise West End apartment building didn’t go off during a two-alarm blaze on Saturday and residents say they were notified to evacuate by the property manager via text message.

Residents were notified of a fire on the fourth floor of the Pavilion On The Park building at 5340 Holmes Run Parkway at around 10 a.m., which was the same time that the Alexandria Fire Department was dispatched to the scene.

News

Four people displaced after house fire in Arlandria

By James Cullum

Published December 12, 2022 at 1:00PM

Two people were displaced in a fire in the 3700 block of Mark Drive on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Four people were displaced by an Arlandria house fire that started with a space heater.

The fire occurred at around midnight (Saturday morning) in a row house in the 3700 block of Mark Drive, according to the Alexandria Fire Department (AFD).

News

No injuries after vent shaft catches fire in Fairlington apartment building

By James Cullum

Published September 20, 2022 at 1:00PM

There were no injuries after a small fire in the vent shaft of an apartment building in the Fairlington neighborhood on Tuesday, September 20.

The Alexandria Fire Department was dispatched to the Waypoint apartment building at 2451 Menokin Drive at around 10 a.m. It took just over an hour for AFD to leave the scene.

News

Alexandria’s birthday celebration is back on the waterfront on July 9

By James Cullum

Published June 24, 2022 at 2:15PM

The grand finale of Alexandria's birthday celebration over the Potomac River, July 7, 2018 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Fireworks fans should get ready for quite a treat for the senses, as Alexandria’s annual birthday celebration is back along the waterfront on Saturday, July 9.

The free event, which will be held from 6 to 9:45 p.m., will commemorate the city’s 273rd birthday. The evening will include a performance by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and a grand finale fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.

News

Multiple persons of interest identified in West End 7-Eleven arson

By James Cullum

Published February 7, 2022 at 10:45AM

Image courtesy Will Mahoney (@HeelWillMahoney)

Multiple persons of interest have been identified after an attempted break-in and arson at a 7-Eleven store in the West End.

At around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, four-to-five males walked into the 7-Eleven at 2 S. Jordan Street and “using incendiary devices committed the offense of arson,” according to a police search warrant affidavit.

News

JUST IN: Officials investigate fire at Jordan Street 7-Eleven

By Alan Henney

Published January 3, 2022 at 9:00PM

S. Jordan Street 7-Eleven fire (Image courtesy Will Mahoney / @HeelWillMahoney)

A possible firebombing at a convenience store is under investigation.

Alexandria officials have not commented officially yet, but according to radio reports, investigators are looking for four to five men who threw Molotov cocktails into the 7-Eleven on S. Jordan Street at Duke Street around 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

News

The Alexandria Fire Department shut down an engine Sunday night due to staffing issues

By James Cullum

Published December 21, 2021 at 1:00PM

After concern that his officers were working too much overtime, Alexandria Fire Chief Corey Smedley temporarily put an engine out of service on Sunday night (Dec. 19).

The move was enough to prompt the International Association of Firefighters’ Local 2141 to put out a public safety alert on social media.

News

Alexandria and Arlington Fire Department unions say understaffing put people and buildings at risk after Crystal City blaze

By James Cullum

Published December 13, 2021 at 11:05AM | Updated December 13, 2021 at 2:25PM

Understaffing within the Alexandria Fire Department put people and buildings at risk during a fire at Crystal City’s restaurant row on 23rd Street earlier this month, according to two unions representing more than 500 Alexandria and Arlington firefighters, medics and fire marshals.

In a sharply worded press release on Friday, Dec. 10, officials from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2141 and IAFF Local 2800 wrote that AFD’s inability to fully staff their department led to “multiple close calls” at a fire on Saturday, Dec. 4, in the 500 block of 23rd Street. No one was injured in the blaze, which caused $1.8 million in damages.

News

Fire Department: Overloaded electrical outlet likely caused three-alarm Del Ray fire

By James Cullum

Published December 9, 2021 at 10:05AM

The Alexandria Fire Department responds to a blaze in the 100 block of E. Del Ray Avenue on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

An overloaded electrical outlet is likely the cause behind last month’s three-alarm fire in a Del Ray duplex, the Alexandria Fire Department announced Wednesday.

Two adults and a child were displaced by the blaze, which occurred at around 6 p.m. on Friday, November 19. A cat is still missing, according to APD.