Candle Blamed For Fatal Virginia Condo Fire

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) -- A fire that killed three family members was accidentally sparked by a candle, investigators ruled Tuesday.

Lt. Mark Stone, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, said the unattended candle was on a first floor patio.

Sadia B. Mohammed, 68, her daughter, Anisa A. Yassin, 36, and her niece, Iftu J. Salah, 16, died from smoke inhalation in the Sunday morning fire. Mohammed's son Hassen K. Beshir, 35, jumped three floors to escape. He remained in critical condition Tuesday, according to a spokesman for Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C.

The flames gutted 24 units at a condominium complex in the Kingstowne neighborhood, resulting in an estimated $9 million in damage.

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• Three Killed In Northern Virgina Condo Complex Fire
• Victims Of Fatal Virginia Condo Blaze Have Been Identified