Annandale house fire caused by unattended candle

A house fire on Nov. 14 in the 3700 block of
Ridge Road in the Columbia Pines neighborhood in Annandale was caused by an
unattended lit candle in a bedroom, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
reports.

When fire units arrived at 2:45 p.m., fire was
showing from the roof of the one-story single-family home. 

Three occupants were
home at the time. One occupant smelled smoke, saw the fire, and got everybody outside. Smoke alarms did not sound due to the location of the alarms.

Damages as a result of the fire were estimated
at $18,750.

The Fire Department urges residents to follow
these safety tips:

• Never
  leave burning candles unattended.
• 
  Keep all combustible materials away from open flames.
• 
  Do not burn candles near windows or doorways.
• 
  Place candles in a glass or ceramic container on a flat, sturdy non-combustible
  surface.
• 
  Never leave candles burning when children or pets are present.