‘We are devastated’: 2 young brothers die days after Fairfax Co. house fire

Jessica Kronzer | jkronzer@wtop.com
April 15, 2024, 4:54 PM



Two boys have died after being pulled from their flaming home in the 13900 block of Whetstone Manor Court in Clifton, Virginia, on April 10, according to their father.(Courtesy Fairfax County Fire and Rescue)

Two young brothers have died days after a fire broke out at their house in Fairfax County, Virginia, the children’s father said Monday. ... “We are devastated by these horrific events and heart broken that we lost our amazing sons,” Jamey Brice, their father, wrote in a Facebook post. ... Last Wednesday, a house fire in Clifton sent five people to the hospital, including Brice’s two young sons, 3-year-old Zachariah and 6-year-old William. ... The boys died on Sunday, Brice said in the Facebook post.

In the days since the fire, Brice shared updates about the condition of his sons on Facebook and asked for prayers; those posts were viewed by thousands of people. ... On Saturday night, he posted a video alongside his wife, saying the boys were receiving extensive brain tests and both “did not show any signs of responsiveness.”

The family is asking for privacy. ... “Please continue praying and give us the space we need this week to make some very difficult decisions,” Brice said Monday. “We will keep everyone updated with plans after those decisions are made. We appreciate all the support, but we just need some time to be mom and dad.” ... A GoFundMe page raising funds for the family as they recover from the house fire has surpassed its goal of $150,000.

Deadly fire’s cause under investigation

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said Monday the cause and origin of the fire is still being investigated. ... Smoke alarms went off and alerted the people inside of the flames, authorities said. ... Three people inside were able to get out and call 911, according to the department. Firefighters searched for the two boys and rescued them. ... The boys had life-threatening injuries and the other three occupants are expected to survive, authorities said. ... The fire displaced eight people and two pets. Red Cross is assisting the family, according to a news release.

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Jessica Kronzer
Jessica Kronzer graduated from James Madison University in May 2021 after studying media and politics. She enjoys covering politics, advocacy and compelling human-interest stories.

jkronzer@wtop.com
@kronzer_news