A Northern Virginia family’s home caught on fire early Monday, but no one was injured thanks to a fast-acting neighbor and police officer, Prince William County fire officials say.
Something ignited in the garage of the home on Merrily Way in Woodbridge at about 4 a.m. The flames and smoke spread quickly while the family was fast asleep inside, fire officials said.
Thankfully, Prince William County Sgt. Chad Mason was on patrol close by when the first radio call went out. He said by the time he pulled up in his car, he could see flames 40 feet high and a neighbor-turned-good Samaritan already at work.
“She was in the front yard. Her car was actually parked in the street. I think she was trying to like blow her horn to try and wake them up,” Mason said.
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He rushed to their front door and beat on it vigorously. He had his flashlight in his hand and was trying to wake up the family of three and their dogs.
“I was probably 10 seconds from actually just kicking the door in and trying to get people out,” he said.
A few seconds later, the homeowner came to the door. Within minutes, the couple, their son and their dogs made it out of harm's way. They were able to warm up in their neighbor’s car while firefighters got the flames under control.
It all played out in just a few minutes and they didn’t have a second to spare, according to Mason.
“The father, the husband, was really appreciative, came up probably 20 minutes later, shook my hand and really thanked me for helping them which, you know, it’s just part of doing the job,” he said.
The home was determined to be unsafe for residents, officials said. The family spent the rest of the night in a hotel.
The fire was caused by smoking materials not being thrown away properly. It started outside and then spread into the home, according to the fire marshal’s office.
Mason, who has also been a volunteer firefighter for 23 years, said this is an important reminder to check your smoke alarm batteries every six months.
“Just reminding people that this is a great illustration of the community effort and how important it is just to help your neighbor,” he said.
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