ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA – An Albemarle County family has been displaced by a fire the morning of December 23, 2024.

At approximately 10:22 am, career and volunteer units from Albemarle County Fire Rescue were dispatched to a residential structure fire in the 10 block of Canterbury Road.

The first crew arrived on scene at approximately 10:30 a.m. to discover smoke and fire showing from the left side of the residence. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The displaced residents, two adults and three children, are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Albemarle County Fire Marshal’s Office but appears to be accidental in nature.

Albemarle County Fire Rescue would like to take this time to remind the community to ensure your home’s heating equipment is inspected and used properly with these safety tips: • Have your heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

  • Have your heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
  • Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment (furnace, fireplace, woodstove, or portable space heater.)
  • Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
  • Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
  • Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container a safe distance from your home.
  •  Test smoke alarms at least once a month.