Fireground audio, video & pictures from Fairfax County two-alarm fire. Five townhomes damaged or destroyed.
Click here for still pictures from Lt. Tom Meloy, Medic 404
Last Thursday Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department units handled a two-alarm fire that damaged five townhomes in the 13,300 block of Shea Place in Herndon.
Since then, thanks to Battalion Chief Chuck Ryan and Fire Scene Audio we have still pictures, video and fireground audio of the incident.
Dispatched to the address were units from Fairfax County, Loudoun County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Reports indicate two townhomes were gutted and three others had modderate to significant damage. According to Chief Ryan, gusty winds and vinyl siding came into play. Fire started in the backyard of one of the middle units, and spread from there. There were multiple pet saves. The fire was stopped at the D-2 exposure with a ladder pipe from Tower 436.
Here are excerpts from the report filed by 9NEWS NOW reporter Peggy Fox filed last week:
The fire started in the rear of or behind a home, possibly in a shed where witnesses say a lot of debris such as old mattresses had been piled.
The wind blew the flames 20 feet to another row of townhouses where is melted the vinyl siding.“We hate that stuff,” said one firefighter about vinyl siding. “It’s made of petroleum, gasoline, which just goes up fast and helps spread the fire.”
Fairfax County Deputy Fire Chief Michael Reilly said “The vinyl siding is highly flammable. The flames jumped over the firewall up under the soffit, spreading to the other homes vinyl siding in the roof areas.
