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A lithium-ion battery discharged and sparked a late-night fire inside a West Falls Church business, but two ceiling sprinklers stopped the flames before they could spread.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department responded to a fire alarm at 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The alarm came from a store in a strip shopping center in the 7200 block of Arlington Boulevard.
When firefighters arrived, they found that a fire had broken out inside the store. Two activated sprinkler heads had already controlled and extinguished it, preventing further growth and limiting the threat to the business and neighboring stores.
Fire investigators determined that the blaze was caused by the discharge of a lithium-ion battery. No one was inside the store when the fire occurred, and no injuries were reported.
The incident demonstrated how a properly installed and maintained commercial sprinkler system can respond quickly, contain a fire and reduce the potential for extensive property damage.