Annandale house fire caused by ‘electrical event’

A fire at a home in the 5000 block of Montgomery Street in Annandale Dec. 6 was caused by “an electrical event,” the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports.

Fire units arrived at the two-story, single-family home about 3:30 a.m. and quickly extinguished a fire in the attic. There were no injuries.

Three occupants who were home at the time heard a beeping noise before going to bed. They investigated and discovered smoke and a burn mark on the dining room ceiling.

Smoke alarms were present but did not activate due to minor smoke conditions and the location of the alarms. The beeping noise was unrelated to the smoke alarms. The occupants exited the home and called 911.

Fire investigators determined the fire started in the dining room on the first floor and was accidental in nature. The three occupants displaced by the fire denied Red Cross assistance. Damages were estimated at $65,000.