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Fairfax County Fire Chief stresses firework safety after crews battle more than a dozen blazes overnight
It was an overwhelming night for firefighters in Fairfax County where more than a dozen fires broke out. Most were due to people improperly disposing of fireworks this Independence Day.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - It was an overwhelming night for firefighters in Fairfax County where more than a dozen fires broke out. Most were due to people improperly disposing of fireworks this Independence Day.
Fire officials say there were nine outside fires, an apartment fire and two house fires including one on Firestone Court, which saw some of the worst damage. Two patients were transported with non-life-threatening injuries and the home was destroyed. Shocking images show what’s left of the home.
Neighbors told FOX 5 they heard a loud bang before seeing the blaze consume the home.
"What I heard was a big loud bang that sounded like a cannon, so I thought, ‘what kind of firework was that?’ It was so loud, it shook my room," neighbor Tuan Hoang said. "Then I saw a big, bright light outside and I thought my house was on fire so I rolled up the window and looked outside and I saw fire."
Investigators are still completing their report on the cause of that fire and it could be at least 24 hours before any more is known about the cause.
The flames also damaged a neighbor’s home and FOX 5 was told that they are on vacation.
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Fire crews battle more than a dozen fires on the Fourth of July
Fairfax County Fire Deputy Chief John Walser talks about the fires across the county that crews battled on July 4.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief John Walser is stressing the importance of properly disposing of fireworks including completely soaking fireworks in a bucket of water overnight before disposing of them.
"Preliminarily, we’re looking at about 15 incidents that were the result of fireworks in the overnight hours. Multiple-alarm fires were the result of some of these fires that were potentially started by fireworks," said Fairfax County Deputy Chief John Walser. "But the fires really ran the gamut from outside fires to rubbish fires, trash fires all the way to house fires and townhouse fires."
Thankfully, there were no reports of serious or severe injuries.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue did confirm that the nine outside fires were related to people improperly disposing of fireworks.