Updated 1:35 p.m.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal townhouse fire Thursday morning in Woodbridge as 73-year-old Narendar Kumar Jain.
Fire and rescue units were dispatched at 6:22 a.m. on April 17, 2025, to the 14100 block of Madrigal Drive, behind BJ’s Wholesale Club on Worth Avenue, after a neighbor reported smoke coming from an adjoining home. When crews arrived, they found smoke showing from the townhouse and began search operations.
Jain, the sole occupant of the home, was found inside and removed by firefighters. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators also discovered the circuit breaker to the home’s smoke detectors was in the “off” position. Fire officials noted that while it’s unclear whether functioning smoke detectors would have changed the outcome in this case, they emphasized the critical role smoke detectors play in saving lives.
“Smoke detectors offer the best protection for you and your family to alert to a fire and allow ample time to safely escape the area,” Prince William County Fire and Rescue stated in a release. “Everyone should routinely check their smoke detectors and change batteries on a regular basis.”
The fire was quickly extinguished, and no other injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Prince William County Fire Marshal’s Office.
