Earls Court Home Catches Fire in Ashburn

Units from six Loudoun County fire stations responded to reports of a home burning on the 43300 block of Earls Court in Ashburn shortly before 4 p.m. Feb. 1.

The first firefighters on the scene reported seeing smoke and fire at the rear of the home. Units from , , Lansdowne, , South Riding and Cascades reported to the scene, according to a report from the Loudoun Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management Services. There were also reports of a trapped occupant, prompting calls for additional units from Ashburn, Sterling Park and Leesburg.

Firefighters quickly gained control of the blaze, containing it to the home’s rear deck and sunroom. No occupants were found in the home and investigators later accounted for the person suspected to be in the home.

The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office deemed the fire an accident, pointing to improperly discarded smoking materials as the cause.

Investigators estimated damages at $15,000 to $20,000. No injuries were reported.

The Fire Marshal’s Office offered the following tips to prevent smoking materials from becoming a fire hazard in your home: 

• In areas where people may be smoking, provide proper ashtrays or non-combustible containers filled with sand, and maintain these away from exterior walls and decks
• Never dispose of smoking materials in or around mulched areas.  Do not use planters or flowerpots as ashtrays
• Completely douse cigarettes, cigar butts and ashes with water before throwing them away, as they can smolder and cause a fire
• Never smoke in bed
• Keep smoking materials away from flammable items (i.e., mattresses, bedding, furniture, draperies, etc.)
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used
• Be alert. Don’t smoke if you are sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine or other drugs
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children’s sight and reach