A home in Annandale, Virginia, caught fire early Monday after neighbors reportedly heard an explosion, authorities say.
A loud boom woke up several neighbors in the 4200 block of Ann Fitz Hugh Drive around 3:30 a.m. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue reported the fire around 3:45 a.m. This is near Little River Turnpike and Northern Virginia Community College.
"Multiple reports saying the house has exploded. Multiple claims, caller advises there's possibly an elderly male that lives inside," the dispatch said.
When fire crews arrived, they found the home was too unstable to go inside. Images show an orange glow of fire coming from the top of the home.
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Neighbors told News4 that an older man lives alone in the home. He was not inside at the time of the fire, officials confirmed.
Fairfax County Fire Deputy Chief Greg Hunter described the challenges firefighters faced. He said about 65 firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire.
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“Due to debris within the structure, we're going to be continuing operations for probably an extended period into the morning. We're working through a safe process to gain access. That's going to cause us to work for several additional hours on the scene,” Hunter said.
Fire crews worked to extinguish hot spots and control smoke pouring from the roof into the late morning. They broke several windows in the process.
No firefighters were injured.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for updates.
