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LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — A house fire that caused "catastrophic" damage was started by a malfunctioning air purifier/dehumidifier, according to officials with the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office. Home Industrial Dehumidifier
Multiple people called 911 to report the house fire on Youngs Cliff Road in Sterling just after 4 p.m. Thursday.
When fire crews from the Kincora, Sterling, Lansdowne, and Ashburn stations, as well as Fairfax County, arrived, they found a single-story home with significant smoke and fire coming from the front. Everyone who lived in the home was outside when crews got there.
Crews began to attack the fire from the outside, however, the home is in an area of the county that does not have fire hydrants. Crews were forced to complete a rural water supply operation and shuttle water to the scene via 3,000-gallon water tankers.
Officials say the fire reportedly caused "catastrophic damages" estimated to be around $700,000, with $450,000 in structure damage, and $250,000 in contents. No one who lived at the home was injured but a firefighter was evaluated for possible heat-related illness while fighting to extinguish the flames.
The Marshall's office credits working smoke alarms for warning the occupants of the home to the fire, giving them time to escape.
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