Crime & Safety

Fredericksburg Police Officers Rescue Teen from Burning Home

Lt. Bill Hallam and Officer Ryan Merrell were the first to arrive on the scene.

Two Fredericksburg Police officers rescued a teenage girl from a burning home in Fredericksburg's Courtland Heights neighborhood early Tuesday morning.

"Lt. Bill Hallam and Officer Ryan Merrell used a utility ladder found at the next-door-neighbor’s house and put it up to the second story window from which the victim was hanging," Deputy Fire Chief Mike Jones said. "One of the officers climbed the ladder and helped the girl down, as fire units were arriving on scene," Jones said.

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The victim was transported to Mary Washington Hospital, Jones said.  She was later transferred to Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond for further evaluation.  No details on her condition were available at the time the story was published.

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Dispatchers received the 9-1-1 call at 2 a.m. and were told the residence at 106 Oak St. was burning and someone inside the home was unable to make it outside.

"Fire Department units -- two engines and one ladder from Fredericksburg and one engine from Spotsylvania -- arrived to find heavy smoke pushing from the windows, doors and eaves of the two-story home," Jones said.

Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Fire crews advanced two hose lines into the structure and located the fire on the first floor of the home," he said.  

"Fire Department units had the fire under control within 10 minutes of arrival, but took an additional hour to ventilate the entire home and overhaul the fire area checking for any signs of hidden fire," Jones said.   

The other residents of the home -- one adult and one teen -- were able to evacuate the home on their own.  A third member of the family, an infant, was with staying with relatives at the time of the fire.

The fire originated in a first floor bedroom toward the rear of the home, according to the Fire Marshal’s Office of the Fredericksburg Fire Department. "The fire was accidental in nature and due to unattended candles," the Fire Marshal's Office said.  Damage is estimated between $25,000 – $30,000.

"The family has been displaced and the Red Cross has been notified," Jones said.

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