Prince William County fire marshals are investigating two fires that wiped out a nursery and a pool supply store within two blocks of each other in Woodbridge late Sunday night and early Monday morning.
“They are suspicious. They are still being investigated,” Prince William Fire and Rescue spokesman Randy Earl said.
Both buildings were consumed by flames starting at Meadows Farm Nursery at 14135 Jefferson Davis Highway at 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
About an hour later, “One of the fire marshals actually turned around and saw the fire coming through the roof of the second building,” Earl said.
The second fire across the street at 14304 Jefferson Davis Highway destroyed Playtime Pools and Spas and created a hazardous materials scare because of the pool-cleaning chemicals.
Firefighters from Fairfax County, Manassas City and Occoquan joined firefighters from 14 stations in Prince William County responding to the fires.
Twenty firefighters were doused in water for a decontamination process due to the dangerous chemicals, Earl said. One firefighter sprained an ankle battling the fire, but nobody else was injured.
Fire marshals continued to investigate the torched stores along the busy Route 1 corridor Monday and were trying to determine whether the fires were connected and whether arson was involved.
Firefighters also were keeping watch at the pool business in case flammable materials there re-ignited.
“The investigation will probably take days and they don’t know how much it will be hampered by the materials on site,” Earl said.
