Efforts to Fight Dosinia Court Fire Were Hindered by ‘Hoarding Conditions’

(Note: This is an update to a story that appeared Monday on Reston Now.)

Hoarding at a home in South Reston exacerbated a fire over the weekend, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says.

The fire at 2288 Dosinia Court started just before 4:30 a.m. Saturday. Fire officials say the blaze was the “result of the ignition of cooking oil spilled on the propane burner in use inside of the garage,” and it “quickly spread to nearby cardboard boxes.”

A fire department press release says “hoarding conditions found on all levels of the home” hindered efforts to put out the fire. A neighbor told Reston Now on Monday that she believed rooms in the home were being rented out and there were sometimes as many as a dozen cars in the cul-de-sac. A Google Street View image of the address, taken in September 2014, shows six cars outside the home.

According to a Fairfax County Fire and Rescue press release:

“The fire was discovered by one of the occupants who was cooking on a propane fueled burner in the garage. She alerted the remaining sleeping occupants, exited the structure, and called 911. All other occupants safely evacuated the home prior to fire department arrival. The home was equipped with one battery operated smoke alarm on each level. All of the smoke alarms, except the one in the basement, were found to be disabled (battery removed).”

One occupant was transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, and no firefighters were injured. Red Cross assistance was offered to the residents, but it was declined.

Damages as a result of the fire were estimated to be approximately $120,000.