Firefighters Battle Stubborn Blaze on Braddock Road

A fire at a house in the 9600 block of Braddock Road near Pickett Road grew to two alarms after firefighters were unable to contain the flames that started in the basement. No one was hurt in the fire.

Neighbors at the scene in Fairfax reported first seeing firefighters at the house around 9:45 p.m. Fairfax County fire personnel told an onlooker that the family who owns the house was out of town; neighbors called in the fire.

The fire in the basement got into the vents and the ductwork. A source at the scene, a former firefighter of 13 years, said that due to structural damage in the floors, command pulled everybody out of the house before the kitchen floor collapsed. The firefighters lowered hoses down into the basement in an attempt to put out the fire. They also broke windows and the roof section above the porch to let smoke out of the building.

Engines, trucks, ambulances and rehabilitation vehicles at the scene came from stations in Annandale, Fairfax City, Burke and Dunn Loring. There were around 20 fire vehicles at the house, at least two police cars, and representatives from Dominion Power. The situation blocked late night Braddock Road traffic going westbound; police directed traffic in a detour around the site.

By 1 a.m., some fire personnel were packing up and leaving; the fire appeared to be out. Fire investigators said that they will be working on the scene throughout Wednesday morning. Traffic westbound on Braddock was opened at 1:45 a.m.

Fire officials have not determined the cause of the fire.