The Prince William County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating two incidents of illegally dumping 55-gallon drums containing waste on Reid Lane in Nokesville, posing significant environmental risks.

The Hazardous Materials Team secured the site, and the removal of the drums is being handled by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Press release:

The Prince William County Fire Marshal’s Office is currently investigating two past separate incidents of illegal abandonment of multiple 55-gallon drums containing a waste product on Reid Lane in the Nokesville area. This type of dumping poses significant environmental threats.

Upon receiving citizen complaints regarding these drums, the Hazardous Materials Team and the Fire Marshal’s Office promptly secured the drums and ensured there would be no impacts to the environment. It was determined that the barrels were located on state-managed property. Accordingly, the responsibility for their removal rested with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The Fire Marshal’s Office maintained close communication with these agencies to ensure the removal of the drums.

Assistant Chief Matt Smolsky, Chief Fire Marshal of Prince William County, emphasized the critical role of community vigilance and cooperation: “We are committed to investigating and mitigating any potential hazards to our community promptly”. The public is being asked to contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 703-792-6360 if you have any information regarding the incidents described above.

Any information about the illegal dumping could assist in the investigation and/or prosecution. Intentional release or intentional dumping of hazardous materials is a class one misdemeanor, and if convicted, an individual could be fined up to $2500 and face up to a year in jail.

If you observe any illegal dumping, please report it immediately. If you see something, say something by calling 911.

On Monday, August 12, 2024, fire and rescue crews from Prince William and Fairfax counties were dispatched to Mountcastle-Turch Funeral Home in Woodbridge’s 13400 block of Woodbridge Street. The call was received at 10:23 a.m. after reports of extra smoke coming from the funeral home’s chimney and garage.

Upon arrival, crews investigated the source of the smoke and found a malfunctioning crematorium. Initial information from the scene indicated that a body was being cremated at the facility. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

The units cleared the area at 10:40 a.m.

Mountcastle-Turch Funeral Home & Crematory provides funeral and cremation services to Woodbridge and Dale City residents.

A serious head-on collision on Route 17 (Warrenton Road) in south Stafford County left two adults with significant injuries late Saturday night. The crash occurred at approximately 9:32 p.m. near the intersection of Warrenton Road and Cardinal Forest Drive and involved two vehicles.

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Stafford County Fire and Rescue and Fredericksburg Fire Department successfully rescued two kayakers from the Rappahannock River on Friday night, August 9, 2024. Despite strong currents and challenging conditions, both kayakers were safely brought to shore without injury. A Stafford County fire and rescue spokeswoman said the two were both adult women.

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Just after 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, Stafford County fire crews responded to a structure fire in the rural area of Decatur Road in Widewater. Crews controlled the blaze despite water supply challenges. Two occupants inside the home made it out safely.

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A major ammonia leak at a Sterling manufacturing plant has hospitalized 26 individuals tonight. The Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department and additional units from the surrounding region responded to the "mass casualty" event. At 8:36 p.m., the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received a 9-1-1 call reporting a gas leak inside a commercial building on the 22400 block of Sous Vide Lane in Sterling. Upon arrival, fire and rescue units from Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed the presence of an ammonia leak. Numerous patients exposed to the gas were immediately identified. As of the latest update, 26 patients have been transported to area hospitals, with four experiencing significant symptoms. Many others are still being evaluated at the scene. The Loudoun County Office of Emergency Management is present to assist those impacted by the incident. Cuisine Solutions, the operator of the affected facility, specializes in sous vide, a French cooking method where food is sealed and cooked in water at precise times and temperatures. The leak occurred at their plant, where sous vide packaging is conducted. Emergency crews have been working diligently to contain the leak and ensure the safety of the surrounding area. Public safety personnel are expected to maintain a presence in the area as the situation develops. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Residents are advised to stay clear of the area to allow emergency responders to manage the situation effectively.

INCIDENT ALERT: At approximately 8:36 p.m., the Loudoun County ECC received a 9-1-1 call reporting a gas leak inside a commercial building in the 22400 block of Sous Vide Lane in Sterling… cont. @Chief600KJ pic.twitter.com/X7XzT9Eiwz

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Rescue crews pulled a man from a manhole near a Safeway grocery store in Dale City on Sunday, July 28, 2024.

There is no word yet on how he wound up in the hole or the victim’s age. We await updated information from the Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department.

Prince William Professional Firefighters Union:

Late last night, Units from our Technical Rescue Division responded to the 4200 block of Cheshire Station Plaza for a person who had fallen down a manhole adjacent to a retention pond. Engine 26 arrived on scene first and reported a person, fifteen feet down a manhole with extensive lower body injuries. Crews began to arrive and prepared for a confined space entry. HAZMAT crews monitored the environment while rescues prepared for the rescue incident. Crews made initial contact with the patient from the surface at 10:40pm and had the victim and all rescues recovered at 11:13pm. The patient was evaluated and transported to a local hospital.

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At 2:25 a.m. today, Monday, July 8, 2024, emergency units were dispatched to the 17600 block of Washington Street in Dumfries after a call reported a fire at a mobile home. Upon arrival, crews found fire emerging from the rear deck area of the home.

An adult and two children had to escape the fire through a window before the units arrived. The fire was extinguished quickly. The adult was transported to a nearby medical facility with a non-life-threatening injury.

The home sustained significant damage and was declared unsafe to occupy by the Town of Dumfries Building Official. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents, which include one adult and two children.

The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.