According to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, a fire sent four people to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. On Saturday, November 3rd, a spark of a toaster put four residents of a three-story, garden-style apartment building in the hospital and displaced three residents.

At 5:22 p.m., the local emergency crew arrived at the apartments on the 1600 block of Becontree Lane in Reston. At the time of the fire, there were two residents home, one which self-evacuated when she saw the flames coming from the toaster, then called 9-1-1. Once the fire was discovered, the first set of fire alarms sounded. While on their way to the scene, the firefighters got word that one resident was still in the apartment. Once the crew arrived to the scene, they found smoke coming from the front of the building, and located the fire in an apartment on the terrace level. After locating the fire, the request for the second alarm was sent. The fire was distinguished shortly after crews arrived. Crews contained the fire and rescued two residents, who were rushed to safety in the stairway of the building.

A temporary place to stay was established and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, property management, and Red Cross assisted the three displaced residents. They declined the Red Cross offer for assistance. The damages from the fire are an estimated $150,000.

The fire investigators concluded that the fire was caused by an electrical issue involving the toaster, which started in the apartment’s kitchen, and was a accident.