BLOGGER: Fairfax Shopping Center Catches Fire

By Mason Blogger Natalie Bedell

On my way home from the office today, I noticed fire trucks racing towards this shopping center off of Lee Highway. I had my camera with me and figured I'd pull over and try to find out what happened.

A women who's owned one of the stores for 20 years stood outside with her co-owner holding a fluffy white pup. When asked how it started, she said she "heard it was a gas leak." It seemed as though the bottom level of the building was undamaged. Windows had been broken out by the firemen, as seen in the bottom photo, in order to search the interior for possible victims. The top photo shows firemen using axes in order to break holes in the roof to release some of the smoke. A stretcher was taken out from the ambulance but after waiting around for about 30 minutes, it didn't seem as though it anyone had been injured, leaving the stretcher unused. I've been checking the Fairfax County Fire Department's website for media advisories, but nothing yet so far. The Fairfax County Times released a short blip about it, but is the only one yet to report.

Check out her blog, "Coffee Meets Girl."