(Spotsylvania)- Two people died in an early morning fire in Spotsylvania in the 11700 block of Post Oak Road. At 2:18am, the Spotsylvania Emergency Communications Center received a phone advising of a residential structure fire at their neighbor’s house.
Within minutes, crews from five stations were dispatched and responded to fight the fire, supply water, and to provide emergency medical care. The first units arrived at 2:27 a.m. to find a house well-involved in fire. Crews conducted an aggressive attack on the fire, simultaneously conducting a search for occupants, while tankers hauled water from a hydrant located miles away.
Within 10 minutes of arrival, crews located and removed one female occupant who was not breathing, and began to initiate life-saving efforts. The patient went into cardiac arrest during transport, and later died at the hospital. A second victim was located in the residence shortly after the first occupant was located, but had already succumbed to the fire. The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes of arrival.
The cause and origin of the fire is currently under investigation. While it is not yet clear if the home had working smoke detectors, the Department reminds everyone that a working smoke detector can provide the early notice required to alert your family of a fire and increase the chances of a successful escape from a burning building. Check your smoke detector batteries monthly, and change them when, in the spring and fall, you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.