Update: Cigarette Caused Severe House Fire in Fluvanna Co.

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Updated: 2:36 PM Oct 9, 2009 Update: Cigarette Caused Severe House Fire in Fluvanna Co. Fire investigators now know the cause of a severe house fire in Fluvanna County on Wednesday morning. A cigarette was dropped in some mulch near the front of the house, and it eventually caught fire. Posted: 11:18 AM Oct 7, 2009 Email Address: news@newsplex.com

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October 7, 2009

Fire investigators now know the cause of a severe house fire in Fluvanna County on Wednesday morning. A cigarette was dropped in some mulch near the front of the house, and it eventually caught fire.

The fire left a home in the Lake Monticello community badly damaged. However, the family living inside the home was able to get out alive. One of the children started crying, which woke up the rest of the family. Investigators tell CBS19 two adults, two children, and two dogs escaped without injury.

The fire was reported shortly after 5:00 am Wednesday at a home on Rowell Road in the Lake Monticello community. Flames were coming from the roof when firefighters arrived.

The Lake Monticello, Palmyra, and East Rivanna fire departments worked together to save as much of the house as they could.

Despite their best efforts, the house, a car and a truck were destroyed by the flames.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Confused on Oct 13, 2009 at 09:58 PM

I agree with the former owner, the story isn't making sense. The homeowners escaped through the rear of the house and by the time they got around to the front of the house the truck was already engulfed in flames. The truck is a 2007 Ford F-150. These vehicles were recently recalled due to issues with the cruise control malfunctioning causing engine fires. The truck was parked about 12 feet from the porch. If the fire started in the mulch, moved on to the porch and had not yet moved inside of the house when the homeowners got out, how could the vehicle engine compartment and interior be totally engulfed in flames in such a short period of a time? Something isn't adding up here.

Posted by: former owner on Oct 9, 2009 at 06:24 PM

This update to the story is nonsensical and is missing some details. First of all, how did the cigarette get into the mulch? The mulch was only around the bushes that were located in the front of the home around the perimeter of the porch. No one goes down that steep driveway even in broad daylight. Secondly, there are smoke alarms on all three levels of the home and it was not detected? A crying kid woke them up and not a screech fire detector? Thirdly, for the entire home and two cars to be destroyed that had to have been a quick burning, intense fire to do that much devestation. If it started in the mulch why did it not travel to the dry brush and the trees that are in front of the home on the hillside? Something is not right and it is not being reported correctly either.

Posted by: LM Creamer Location: Rockville, MD on Oct 8, 2009 at 07:01 PM

This was my former residence three years ago!! So shocking and I feel bad for the current owners.

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