A Friday night fire in Harrisonburg caused $190,000 in damage and displaced a family of five.
There was one injury associated with the fire – with a firefighter needing treatment for a minor medical issue, according to the Harrisonburg Fire Department.
One adult male home at the time of the 9:30 p.m. fire was able to evacuate safely along with the family pets.
The home, in the 1400 block of Springside Drive, had heavy smoke and fire coming from the back of the residence.
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire on the exterior, before transitioning inside to complete extinguishment of fire that had extended into the attic, according to HFD.
The fire was placed under control within 30 minutes of dispatch.
“The prompt discovery of the fire and calls to 9-1-1 avoided even more serious damage in this case,” Fire Chief Matthew Tobia said. “Functioning smoke alarms are critical in safeguarding lives. As we come into the heating season, property owners should ensure that a trained technician inspects their heating system to ensure safe and reliable functioning.”
Investigators have determined the fire to be accidental with the origin on an enclosed back porch.
A total of five residents were offered assistance by the Red Cross but were able to relocate with other family.