HERNDON, Va. (WUSA9) -- One man is dead after a late-night two-alarm house fire in Herndon.
According to Captain William Moreland, spokesman for the Fairfax County Fire Department, a woman called 911 reporting a garage fire in the 12800 block of Willow Glen Court around 11:00 p.m. The woman told dispatchers she believed her husband was trapped inside the burning structure.
Once firefighters arrived on the scene they found the garage fully engulfed in flames and called for a second alarm. Crews were able to bring the blaze under control and conduct a preliminary search where they discovered a man's body, Captain Moreland said. A positive identification of the victim will have to be made by a medical examiner.
Firefighters also rescued 25 of approximately 37 cats that reside at the home. According to Capt. Moreland, there is an area of the house that is still blocked off by fire damage, which is where they hope to find the remaining animals. The cats that have already been safely removed were taken in by the Fairfax Co. Police Department's Animal Control Unit.
The woman who called 911 was uninjured and is being assisted by the Red Cross.
Investigators are just beginning to sift through the charred evidence in order to determine the cause of the fire. The investigation is ongoing.
