Fairfax County Fire and Rescue

Morning Notes

Published July 28, 2022 at 7:30AM

A flock of birds flies over Route 123 in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Real Estate Taxes Due Today — For Fairfax County property owners, it’s the final day to send in the first installment of your annual real estate taxes, which saw significant increases this year even with a 3-cent reduction in the county’s rate. Payments can be made to the Department of Tax Administration by phone, mail, drop box, mobile app and online. [DTA]

Springfield Man Convicted in 2020 Murder — A jury convicted Carlington Fitz Auther Campbell yesterday (Wednesday) for shooting and killing Anthony Sullivan outside a West Springfield apartment in November 2020, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced. Campbell was found guilty of second-degree murder and a weapons charge, which carry possible prison sentences of five to 40 years and three years, respectively. [WUSA9]

News

Dog rescued from apartment fire in Frying Pan

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 15, 2022 at 9:30AM

Objects near the stove in a Frying Pan apartment caught fire (via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department)

A dog was rescued after a fire in the Frying Pan area of Fairfax County broke out Wednesday morning (July 13), the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported yesterday (Thursday)

The fire — which was mostly controlled by two sprinklers in the apartment on the 2300 block of Rolling Fork Circle — was caused when combustible items near the burner of the electric stove caught fire, according to fire investigators.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 11, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated July 11, 2022 at 9:26AM

An empty bench by Lake Audubon in Reston (photo by Marjorie Copson)

(Updated at 9:25 a.m.) Fire and Rescue Rejects Agreement in Sexual Harassment Complaint — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that a former Fairfax County firefighter was sexually harassed by a captain in 2017 and demoted after she reported it. But the county fire department has refused an agreement requiring improved efforts to address sexual harassment, new training, and a $150,000 award to the woman, raising the possibility of a federal lawsuit. [The Washington Post]

Pedestrian Killed in Lorton Crash Identified — The Fairfax County Police Department says Keith Thomas, 24, was walking in the southbound lanes of Richmond Highway when he was hit by the driver of a 2005 GMC Sierra at 1:28 a.m. Friday (July 8) at the I-95 interchange. The driver called for help, but Thomas was struck by other vehicles and ultimately died at the scene. [FCPD]

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JUST IN: Tractor-trailer fire shuts down Capital Beltway at Route 50

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 6, 2022 at 4:35PM | Updated July 6, 2022 at 8:52PM

Fire and Rescue vehicles block off southbound I-495 at Route 50 after a tractor-trailer fire (via VDOT Northern Virginia/Twitter)

(Updated at 5 p.m.) A tractor-trailer caught fire on I-495 this afternoon (Wednesday), shutting down all southbound lanes at the Route 50 interchange in Merrifield.

The fire appears to have sparked right as the afternoon rush hour was getting underway. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reported at 4:16 p.m. that it has units on the scene working to extinguish the fire.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published July 5, 2022 at 7:30AM

People watch fireworks at Vienna's 2022 Fourth of July celebration (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Springfield Motorcyclist Dies After Burke Crash — Becoming the sixth non-pedestrian killed in a vehicle crash this year, Nema Mirsaeedi, 31, of Springfield died yesterday after being thrown from his motorcycle in a crash with a car attempting to turn into a shopping center on Burke Center Parkway. The crash occurred at 6:39 p.m. on Sunday (July 3) and remains under investigation. [FCPD]

County Responds to Supreme Court Security Request — “Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley originally penned the letter, asking that state and local law enforce their respective picketing laws near the homes of Supreme Court justices…Fairfax County officials say they already received the letter and that their stance remained unchanged.” [WTOP]

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published June 29, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated June 29, 2022 at 11:23AM

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) Kitten Rescued in Groveton — Fairfax County firefighters from the Woodlawn station were dispatched to the 7000 block of Richmond Highway on Monday (June 27) after bystanders reported a stray kitten that got stuck in the engine compartment of their coworker’s SUV. First responders were able to “extriCATe the kitten without injury or damage to vehicle,” and a coworker of the original caller agreed to adopt the kitten. [FCFRD/Facebook]

(Correction: This article initially said the kitten was adopted by a firefighter, based on the department’s tweet about the incident.)

Countywide

Police investigate arson, graffiti related to Roe v. Wade at Reston church

By Fatimah Waseem

Published June 27, 2022 at 11:00AM

Fairfax County police cruiser with lights on (via FCPD/Facebook)

Local police are investigating an incident of arson and graffiti that occurred at St. John Neumann Catholic Community Church in Reston yesterday (Sunday).

The graffiti, which was found at the entrance of the church and multiple areas in the back, was related to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which previously guaranteed the federal protection abortion rights, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

News

Frying Pan townhouse fire sparked by malfunctioning battery pack

By Fatimah Waseem

Published June 23, 2022 at 3:00PM

A malfunctioning battery pack caused the fire on Saturday (Photo by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department).

A malfunctioning battery pack has been ruled as the cause of a townhouse fire in the Frying Pan area of Fairfax County.

Fire officials say that the fire, which happened on Saturday (June 18) around 9:30 a.m., started in the third-floor bedroom of the townhouse on the 13000 block of Rose Petal Circle. A charging lithium-ion battery pack was to blame.

News

Groveton home caught fire after being struck by lightning

By Brandi Bottalico

Published June 6, 2022 at 3:55PM

A screenshot of a doorbell security video that caught a neighbor's house being struck by lightning (via Fairfax County Fire and Rescue)

A Groveton home was struck by lightning Thursday, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said.

No one was at the home in the 6800 block of Duke Drive at the time of the lightning strike but one neighbor happened to catch a video of it on a doorbell camera, the department said in a press release. The fire started on the exterior wall of a second-floor bedroom.

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Morning Notes

By FFXnow.com

Published June 6, 2022 at 7:30AM

The former Crate and Barrell building on International Drive in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Truck Fire Shuts Down I-95 South — “Saturday around 4:30 p.m., units were dispatched for a Truck Fire on I-95 South at Mile Marker 161. Multiple Vehicles on fire being transported by 18-Wheeler Vehicle Carrier, located in local lanes. Multiple Lanes were shutdown in southbound lanes. No reported injuries.” [FCFRD/Twitter]

BB Gun Drawn in Reston Over Smoking Confrontation — A security guard was surrounded by 10 juveniles outside a business in the 11900 block of Market Street on May 31 after telling them that smoking was not allowed there. One of the juveniles displayed a handgun that police later determined was “a replica style Glock BB gun.” No injuries were reported, but police intend to seek petitions for charges. [FCPD]