Stafford Fire and Rescue says improperly discarded spent fireworks caused a fire late Tuesday night. Spokesperson Katie Brady tells us that at 10:20pm units were dispatched for a structure fire in the 00 block of Smelters Trace Road, near the intersection of Millrace Road and Woodcutters Road. Multiple people called in.
Brady says first arriving units marked on scene approximately five minutes later and reported heavy fire from the roof and side of a two-story single family home. Additionally, the fire spread to involve an adjacent single family home. Brady says crews switched to defensive firefighting tactics due to the structure being unstable, and a second alarm was struck bringing additional resources to the scene.
The fire was brought under control in approximately 20 minutes. The original fire building was occupied by four people at the time of the fire. They were able to evacuate prior to the arrival of units, and no injuries were reported. Three additional occupants from the adjacent structure that sustained moderate damage were also displaced. All seven individuals are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.
Brady says a third structure also sustained minor damage. Stafford units assisted by the Fredericksburg Fire Department and Quantico Fire and Emergency Services.
Photo courtesy Stafford Fire and Rescue
