McLean [Virginia] Mansion Destroyed in Fire

[mahatmakanejeeves]

You know those little cans of cooking fuel that are used at wedding receptions and at buffets to keep the food warm? Don't let them out of your sight. Even though the house was occupied and the fire was reported, the house was a total loss - of $3.1 million.

According to the DC Examiner, the Secret Service is aiding in the investigation. It appears that the house was owned by members of the United Arab Emirates diplomatic community.

McLean Mansion Destroyed in Fire

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A can of portable cooking fuel ignited a curtain at a mansion in the McLean area, causing a fire that burned for two hours Wednesday and destroyed the house, Fairfax County fire investigators said yesterday.

The fire in the 1200 block of Crest Lane, overlooking George Washington Memorial Parkway, began about 9:40 p.m. in the dining room. The residents had guests and reported the blaze, Fairfax fire spokesman Dan Schmidt said. One of the residents or visitors and one firefighter suffered minor injuries.

Fire marshals estimated the damage to the structure and contents yesterday at $3.1 million and said the house was a total loss. Fire officials would not discuss who owned or lived in the 11,500-square-foot house, and real estate records indicated it was owned by a private limited partnership that owns at least three others on the exclusive street of multimillion-dollar homes. Parking permits in several cars along Crest Lane said the permits were issued to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, but a spokesman for the embassy said he had no information about the residence.
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[RaleighNCDUer]

1. UAE diplomats' house valued at only 3.1 million?

Must have been trying to 'dress down' to fit in.

[TwilightZone]

2. Sniff...sniff...do I smell insurance fraud?

Hmm, yes, I believe I do.

[KoKo]

3. A can of sterno ignites while the guests are there and no one can put

it out. :eyes: Sorry, hard to believe that. I use those things for parties and can't imagine how that could happen and get out of hand like that. If it was near food at a party someone would have noticed... They have such low flames that it's hard to imagine it catching a curtain or something like that on fire. :shrug:

Sheesh...

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. I read recently

that house fires double in size every 18 seconds.

Can't document that. Any firefighters here?