The Loudoun County, Virginia, fire marshal determined that a fire on June 7 in an apartment above a long-time Leesburg business was an accident.
A building housing Caulkins Jewelers caught fire in June, destroying apartments and damaging the jewelry store on the first floor. The fire marshal said careless smoking in the apartment caused the blaze.
A dog and two cats died in the fire.
Caulkins Jewelers, a business that opened in 1956 by Stanley Caulkins, a World War II veteran and community volunteer, and is co-owned by his brother, Roger, suffered smoke and water damage. The business has been a fixture in historic downtown Leesburg for decades.
