House fire caused by improperly discarded rags

A fire damaged this house on Justine Drive in Broyhill Crest. [FCFRD]

A fire at a house on the 4000 block of Justine Drive in Annandale shortly after 2 a.m. on April 22 was caused by spontaneously combusting stain rags, investigators from the Fairfax County Fire Department found.

The fire started in a trash can on the driveway between a vehicle and garage door. Improperly discarded cloth rags soaked with wood stain spontaneously combusted and ignited ordinary combustibles.

Two occupants were in the two-story, single-family house at the time. They called 911, and smoke alarms sounded after they discovered the fire. No one was injured.

Damages as a result of the fire were estimated at $71,000, including a vehicle. The two displaced occupants declined Red Cross assistance.