Investigators determined a backdraft caused an explosion last month as Fairfax County firefighters tried to determine why smoke was coming from a Bailey’s Crossroads building.
They ruled the cause of the 5 p.m. November 7 fire and explosion at 3819 George Mason Dr. to be accidental.
“The cause is attributed to degradation of the underground service lateral (power lines) leading to arcing and a subsequent underground fire involving the insulation of adjacent communication lines. The dramatic explosion was deemed to be a backdraft that occurred during firefighting operations,” the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said in a news release Tuesday.
Fire Investigators determined the cause of 11/7/23 fire & explosion is attributed to the underground service lateral (power lines) degradation leading to arcing & subsequent underground fire involving insulation of adjacent communication lines. More: https://t.co/cJ6uB1nccY pic.twitter.com/UqHPhe9KP8
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 19, 2023
No one was injured when the explosion happened at the Build America Plaza.
Feature image courtesy Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s News newsletter.
