UPDATE: 30 displaced after fire

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: November 21, 2008

At least 30 people are temporarily homeless after a two-alarm blaze swept through a Dale City apartment building Thursday evening. The fire sent residents into the streets and smoke billowing into the sky.

Firefighters from as far away as Gainesville rescued three residents from the burning building at 14465 Watson Lane in the Dale Forest Apartments complex off Darbydale Avenue, Prince William County Assistant Fire Chief Hadden Culp said. No injuries were reported

The 5 p.m. fire started inside a third-floor apartment and quickly spread to the fourth floor. Firefighters had the blaze under control by 5:45 p.m., but they were scanning the third floor with flashlights and checking the ceiling of the building for stability well after dark.

The Red Cross set up tents in front of the scorched building, offering assistance to at least eight displaced families. The Dale City Volunteer Fire Department also had victim rehabilitation trucks for residents to get out of the cold.

When the flames broke out, 12-year-old Ibraham Jalloh said he went door-to-door alerting residents of the fire. He was later interviewed by Prince William Fire Chief Joe Robertson about what he saw.

"I didn't want people to die," Jalloh said late Thursday, wrapped tight in his hooded sweatshirt. He said he moved into the building a year ago.

After he got as many people out as he could, Jalloh said he ran to the complex's maintenance office to get help, but found no one there. He then called 911.

Jim Barber, a resident of the complex for more than 15 years, stopped off for coffee at a friend's house after work. He got a call on his cell phone telling him his building was on fire.

"I don't know how bad everything in my apartment is," Barber said. "We've never had a fire in this building before."

Youssee Fbaillal moved into the next door building only a month ago. He was on his way home when the blaze broke out.

"I was surprised to see so many fire trucks here," he said.

Fire investigators were on the scene late Thursday, trying to determine what sparked the blaze.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.