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BREAKING: Pedestrian dies after crash involving fire engine in Reston

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue engine lights (file photo)

A pedestrian was killed after being run over by a fire engine near the Reston Glade Apartments early this morning (Monday).

A medical unit with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched to Glade Drive at Dosnia Court near Dogwood Elementary School for a medical emergency around 2:19 a.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

Around the same time, Fairfax County police officers were dispatched to Dogwood Elementary School for a “suspicious person” after a caller reported an apparently unconscious woman on the ground.

At 2:24 a.m., a fire department responder told the dispatcher that the “patient’s in the road, run over by engine 31. Appears to be DOA.”

A police officer said at 2:30 a.m. that the road would need to be shut down.

“The fire truck actually struck this individual,” the officer said.

Detectives with the FCPD’s Crash Reconstruction Unit were sent to the scene of what it described as a “fatal pedestrian crash involving @ffxfirerescue,” the department tweeted shortly after 4 a.m.

Glade Drive was closed for over an hour between Laurel Glade Drive and Rosedown Drive.

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Man arrested for allegedly setting fire to Annandale house

Fairfax County firefighters tackle a house fire in the 4900 block of Bristow Drive in Annandale on April 27, 2023 (courtesy FCFRD)

Arson was behind an April 27 house fire in Annandale that cost two people and a dog their home, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says.

Clinton James Hall, 27, was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) and charged with one count of burning or destroying a building after investigators determined that the fire in the 4900 block of Bristow Drive was “incendiary in nature.”

According to the FCFRD report, Hall started the fire on the porch of a three-story, single-family home in the Annandale Terrace neighborhood late that evening. Both residents and the dog were inside at the time.

“The dog alerted the occupants and all self-evacuated from the residence prior to fire department arrival,” the department said. “There were working smoke alarms that activated after the fire was discovered.”

Firefighter units were dispatched to the scene at 11:57 p.m. and arrived to find a blaze that was visible from three sides of the building. Crews “worked quickly” to extinguish the fire, and no injuries were reported.

However, the occupants and their pet were displaced, and the fire caused an estimated $461,480 in property damages.

Virginia classifies arson as a Class 3 felony if someone is inside the building when it’s burned. If convicted, Hall would face beween five and 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

The news of Hall’s arrest came the same day that a house fire farther north in Annandale took the lives of two dogs and a cat.

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JUST IN: Dogs and cat killed in Annandale house fire

Three pets were killed in a house fire in Annandale (via FCFRD/Twitter)

Multiple pets were killed in a house fire in the Broyhill Crest neighborhood of Annandale this morning.

Fairfax County firefighters were dispatched to the single-family house in the 3500 block of Marvin Street at 11:19 a.m., according to scanner traffic.

Upon arriving, firefighters found smoke issuing from a fire apparently concentrated in the house’s basement, which was difficult to access due to “hoarding conditions.”

All human occupants were able to evacuate and are safe, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson Ashley Hildebrandt says. The exact number of people who were in the house hasn’t been confirmed yet.

However, two dogs and a cat were trapped by the fire. Annandale Today first reported that one of the dogs, a Doberman, had died, and the FCFRD later confirmed that all three pets were killed.

Hat tip to Xavier “X” on Twitter

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One killed and two hospitalized in Seven Corners crash with vehicle fire

Northbound Arlington Blvd at Patrick Henry Drive in Seven Corners (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) One person died and two people were seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash at the Route 50 (Arlington Blvd) and Patrick Henry Drive intersection in Seven Corners early this morning (Friday).

Emergency responders with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to the scene of a crash with injuries around 1:11 a.m., according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

A preliminary investigation indicated that a 2016 Honda Accord headed east on Arlington Blvd crashed into a 2018 Honda Civic that was trying to make “an abrupt U-turn” from the far-right lane of eastbound Arlington Blvd., the Fairfax County Police Department said in a news release.

According to a dispatcher, one of the vehicles in the crash caught on fire. Christina Hamilton, 37, who’s believed to have been the Civic driver, died after being transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital.

The driver and a passenger in the Accord were hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening.

Witnesses told responders that another man had fled the scene and was seen headed toward the nearby Target store. However, police now say the crash doesn’t appear to have been a hit-and-run.

“At this time, detectives do not believe there is anyone outstanding,” the FCPD said. “Detectives continue to investigate to confirm Hamilton was the driver of the Civic.”

Route 50 was closed to traffic between Olin Drive and Patrick Henry until shortly before 6 a.m, according to police.

This is the third fatal crash on Fairfax County roads in 2023 that didn’t involve pedestrians, following a single-vehicle crash on Braddock Road in February and the Jan. 10 crash on Lee Chapel Road that killed two teens. At this time last year, the FCPD had recorded two non-pedestrian-involved fatal crashes.

There have been a total of seven traffic fatalities in the county this year, including highway crashes and pedestrians, according to state data.

Photo via Google Maps

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Three dogs rescued from townhouse fire in Centreville

Fairfax County paramedics attend to a dog rescued from a townhouse fire in Centreville (via FCFRD/Twitter)

A trio of dogs was rescued from a townhouse fire in Centreville’s Bryarton neighborhood this morning (Wednesday).

Multiple Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the 14600 block of Seasons Drive around 11:17 a.m., according to scanner traffic from Open MHz.

The fire department tweeted at 11:27 a.m. that units had arrived at the three-story residence and could see smoke issuing from the second floor.

“Crews working to extinguish a fire on the second floor,” the department said.

Per scanner traffic, firefighters said multiple pets were found in the townhouse. At one point, a responder report that there may be an elderly person in the house, but the department didn’t immediately confirm to FFXnow whether any people were inside.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 11:45 a.m., and no injuries were reported, including to the dogs, according to the FCFRD.

“Three dogs rescued are in good shape after treatment by #FCFRD firefighters and paramedics,” the department said.

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UPDATED: Major fire breaks out in Annandale residential neighborhood

Fairfax County firefighters extinguish a brush fire in the 6900 block of Alpine Drive (via FCFRD/Twitter)

(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) Fairfax County firefighters have descended on a forested residential neighborhood in Annandale in an effort to extinguish a two-alarm brush fire.

About a dozen units were dispatched to the 6900 block of Alpine Drive at 2:47 p.m. for a house fire, according to scanner traffic on OpenMHz.

“First units on scene reported a large volume of fire behind a house,” the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said on Twitter. “Crews working to extinguish the fire.”

Scanner traffic indicates that the fire has been spreading outdoors without reaching any of the homes in the neighborhood, which has the Evergreen House apartments as well as single-family houses.

“Nothing’s spreading to the homes. It’s all in the yard and trees,” a responder said on the radio.

A few trees were burning 30 to 40 feet up in the air, the incident commander said, who advised firefighters to check for dead trees.

The fire department said at 3:38 p.m. that responders had most of the fire under control. No buildings were affected, and no injuries were reported, but the fire covered approximately 2 acres of land.

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Fire reported in vacant car dealership near Spring Hill Metro station

Firefighters respond to fire in an abandoned car dealership at 8546 Leesburg Pike (via FCFRD/Twitter)

A fire broke out this morning (Monday) in an abandoned automobile dealership near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons.

Units with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched to 8546 Leesburg Pike at 10:45 a.m. for a commercial building fire, according to scanner traffic on OpenMHz.

Firefighters on the scene reported smoke from the roof of the building, which was once a Bentley and Aston Martin dealership.

Scanner traffic suggests that firefighters needed to break through a chain link fence around the property to get to the building. The fire was located in a bathroom.

The FCFRD reported around 11:30 a.m. that the fire had been extinguished, and no injuries were reported. Units are still on the scene to ventilate smoke from the building.

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UPDATED: Some FCPS students stay inside as burnt smell reported across D.C. area

A Fairfax County Fire and Rescue truck (file photo)

(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) Many D.C. area residents who have ventured outside today (Monday) have reported a smoky or burning smell from a wildfire unfolding in North Carolina.

The scent has been reported from D.C. to Arlington and into McLean. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department confirmed that it has gotten calls from around the county, as previously reported by FFXnow’s sister site ARLnow.

The department confirmed that the smell is being carried over by winds from a large wildfire currently burning in North Carolina, citing the National Weather Service.

“A wind shift has caused smoke from the NC wildfires to migrate widely,” the FCFRD said. “Low wind speeds in our area prevent the odor and haze from dispersing.”

Scanner traffic indicates that Fairfax County’s dispatch center received calls from numerous schools, prompting the fire department to send units to some locations until they realized that it appeared to be a countywide issue.

“We’re getting a lot of different calls throughout the county about a smoke smell,” a dispatcher said. “Not sure what’s going on yet, but just a head’s up, we’re getting calls from multiple schools on this.”

“I too smell a strong odor of either wood burning or something similar to that,” a school security contact said.

Fairfax County Public Schools issued a message recommending that any schools “experiencing burning odors” stay inside.

“Fairfax County is experiencing burning odors. Fairfax County fire department is aware. We recommend students and staff remain inside,” the school security announcement said.

One principal reported trying to get through the phone lines for 15 minutes.

“Right now, our phone lines are jammed,” FCPS school security said on the scanner at 1:12 p.m. “State, federal, local officials, meterologists and others are aware of this. It’s a wildfire from North Carolina. We recommend you bring kids inside from the schools due to underlying health conditions such as asthma.”

An FCPS spokesperson said students haven’t been told to shelter in place, but public safety officials recommended that students remain inside if smoke was detected.

“If smoke is detected in the air, it has been recommended to principals that they keep their students inside,” the spokesperson told FFXnow. “This is a school by school decision to be made by individual principals, however.”

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BREAKING: Several people hospitalized by Route 1 crash involving fire truck

Richmond Highway is blocked off at Memorial Street in Groveton after a multi-vehicle crash involving a fire truck (via VDOT)

(Updated at 7:50 p.m.) Several people have been hospitalized after a crash on Richmond Highway (Route 1) in Groveton that involved four different vehicles, including a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department truck.

One person sustained injuries considered life-threatening, the Fairfax County Police Department says.

Police units were dispatched to a fire department accident with injury at the intersection with Memorial Street near Beacon Center around 5:19 p.m., the FCPD confirmed.

Based on scanner traffic on OpenMhz, at least six people were transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital, including two people from a car and four from the fire department truck.

Richmond Highway has been shut down in both directions, and police advise avoiding the area.

The fire department directed comments to FCPD.

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Report: Metro gives wrong address to 911 for cardiac arrest call in Reston

The Reston Town Center Metro station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) Fairfax County first responders were sent to an incorrect address during a 911 call for a cardiac arrest incident at the Reston Town Center Metro station yesterday (Tuesday), leading to a delay in the response.

Based on information provided by Metro, the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications dispatched emergency crews to 1901 Reston Metro Plaza — an address next to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, reported local public safety watcher Dave Statter.

Personnel then received an address change about 10 minutes later directing them to 12023 Sunset Hills Road, the north pavilion for the Reston Town Center station about two miles away, according to Statter.

A county spokesperson provided the following statement to FFXnow, confirming that there was a mix-up in the address:

On March 21 the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) received a call from the Washington Metropolitans Area Transit Authority (WMATA) via the non-emergency phone line at 09:06:59 reporting a cardiac arrest at the Wiehle Metro Station. DPSC dispatched Fairfax County Fire and Rescue (FRD) to the incident at 09:08:45. The first unit arrived at the dispatched location at 09:13:10. This was identified as the incorrect location by responding personnel. Working together, FRD and DPSC redirected resources to the correct location, Reston Metro Station and arrived on the incident scene at 09:19:29.

The man later died at a hospital, according to the report.

Ian Jannetta, spokesperson for WMATA, said the organization is investigating the incident.

“Metro addresses a number of medical emergencies related to customers daily,” Janetta said. “We are looking into our response to this incident and how we can improve our efforts in the future. Our deepest sympathies are extended to our customer and their family.”

Statter says this isn’t the first time WMATA provided an incorrect address in the past.

WMATA confirmed that its control center initially gave an incorrect station address to the county fire department, noting that Metro workers were administering CPR before emergency responders arrived.

“It was rectified with Fairfax EMS during the response to the incident during which time CPR was being provided prior to their arrival,” Janetta said. “We are verifying all station addresses systemwide to ensure our control centers and jurisdictional partners have the correct information.”

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