A family of three escaped a house fire in McLean without injury after smoke alarms gave them time to leave before firefighters arrived.
Two adults and one child left the home in the 10800 block of Paynes Church Drive on their own once the alarms sounded. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department crews arrived and brought the fire under control in under 25 minutes, the department reported in a post on X on Wednesday, July 2.
The cause remains under investigation.
The incident highlights what fire officials call the critical role of working smoke detectors. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue has previously documented house fires where absent alarms led to significantly greater damage and loss, including a January fire in Burke Centre that caused an estimated $147,750 in damage in a home with no smoke alarms installed.
The department recommends at least one smoke alarm and one carbon monoxide alarm on each level of a home, especially near sleeping areas. Residents should test alarms regularly and replace batteries before storm season.
McLean and Great Falls residents can request free battery-powered smoke alarms by contacting their local Fairfax County fire station, calling 703-246-3801, or visiting fairfaxcounty.gov/fire-ems/free-smoke-alarms.
