Fair Oaks Home Fire Causes $1M Damage
A fire on the Fourth of July caused more than $1 million damage to a Fair Oaks home. Last Tuesday, at 11;30 p.m., units from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, along with its mutual-aid partners – City of Fairfax Fire Department and Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue – were dispatched to a house fire in the 12300 block of Firestone Court.
First-arriving units discovered a two-story, single-family home with heavy fire showing from the garage and extending into the attic. Crews worked quickly to bring the blaze under control and ultimately extinguish it.
But before that could happen, a second alarm was struck to bring more firefighting resources to the scene. No firefighters were hurt, but two civilians were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Two residents were home when the fire broke out, but they were able to successfully evacuate and call 911. It’s not known whether the home’s smoke alarms were activated.
According to Fairfax County fire officials, the fire originated in the garage. Its cause, however, remains under investigation. The incident displaced the two occupants, who declined Red Cross assistance. Damage was estimated at approximately $1,068,000.
Single Travel Lanes on Monument Drive
Monument Drive over I-66 in Fair Oaks has been reduced to a single travel lane in each direction for bridge joint replacement and median construction. This traffic pattern will remain in place for about one week, through approximately next Monday, July 17, at 6 a.m.
The left-turn lane from Monument Drive North to the 66 Express Lanes West, and the left-turn lane from Monument Drive South to the 66 Express Lanes East, will also be closed to complete this project. Right-turn movements to access the express lanes will remain open.
All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if inclement conditions occur. This work is part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project.
‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ for Parents of Teens
Fairfax County police are offering a free, hands-on, learning adventure for parents and guardians of teenagers. Called “Hidden in Plain Sight,” it’ll be held Wednesday, July 19, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Sully District Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly.
Attendees will be guided through a presentation opening their eyes to what’s right in front of them. This program begins with a setup of a teenager’s bedroom which includes close to 100 “red flags” indicating risky behavior. Parents are encouraged to touch everything and identify these red flags.
Afterward is a PowerPoint presentation detailing the red-flag props the room contained and how they indicate or are used in risky behavior. Police include up-to-date statistics and local trends, and law-enforcement officers will share experiences they’ve had in the community identifying risky behavior and helping put teens on the right path to a healthy life.
Register at https://bit.ly/sullyhips071923. Or register for other, upcoming presentations dates at https://bit.ly/fcpdhips. Registration is required, and seats are limited. For further information or to arrange a presentation for an organization, club or group, email PFC Meg Hawkins at FCPDHIPS@fairfaxcounty.gov.