House fire blamed on overloaded circuit

Firefights battle a fire on Sheldon Drive. [FCFRD]

An overloaded circuit led to a house fire in the Springfield area of Mason District May 16 that caused approximately $73,750 in damages.

The two-story, single-family home is in the 5500 block of Sheldon Drive, near Bren Mar Elementary School.

An occupant of the home discovered the fire shortly before 9 a.m. There were smoke detectors but they didn’t sound, as they didn’t have batteries, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports.

The fire extended from an attached garage into the living area. Four occupants were displaced and declined Red Cross assistance. No one was injured.

Fire investigators found the fire started in a bedroom adjacent to the garage where an overloaded circuit caused high resistant heating in the electrical wiring.