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A two-alarm fire sparked by improperly discarded smoking material damaged three townhouses in Springfield on Monday, September 22, 2025, causing an estimated $865,540 in damage.
Fairfax County firefighters responded around 2:30 p.m. to the 6200 block of Levi Court, where heavy flames and smoke were coming from two floors of a middle-unit townhouse. Crews attacked the fire, searched the building and requested a second alarm.
The occupants discovered the fire and evacuated before firefighters arrived. Neighbors called 911. Although the home had working smoke alarms, the residents spotted the fire before the alarms activated.
No residents or firefighters were injured.
Investigators with the Office of the Fire Marshal determined that the accidental fire began on the rear patio after smoking material was discarded improperly.
Cigarette butts should never be placed in potting soil, which can become highly flammable when dry. Outdoor smoking areas should have a fireproof container, ashtray or bucket, and butts and ashes should be soaked thoroughly with water before disposal because they can continue smoldering and ignite a fire.