Units from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Arlington County Fire Department and City of Fairfax Fire Department responded Nov. 30 at 9:20 a.m. to a reported house fire in the 3200 block of Nealon Drive in the West Falls Church area.
Units arrived on the scene of a one-story, single-family home with fire showing from the roof. Crews quickly located the fire and extinguished it. There were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries.
Two occupants were home at the time of the fire. A neighbor who saw smoke coming from the attic alerted both occupants to the fire. The occupants evacuated the home and called 911.
Smoke alarms were present, but did not work for lack of batteries, officials said.
Fire investigators determined that the fire was accidental, started in the kitchen and was caused by ignition of cooking oil from an unattended pan left on the stove top.
The fire displaced five occupants, who declined assistance offered by the Red Cross. The fire caused about $162,500 worth of damage, officials said.