Fredericksburg’s Fire Department is on the scene now at 800 Caroline Street for a structure fire. The building is home to Dragonfly Yoga and Stage Door Productions, amongst others.
No injuries have been reported, but drivers are advised to use alternate routes in downtown Fredericksburg.
On Thursday evening, more than 200 community members gathered at the Manassas Park home of a missing mother, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who was last seen earlier this month. Her husband, Naresh Bhatt, was arrested and charged Thursday morning with felony concealing a body.
At a hearing on Friday morning in the Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Bhatt remains in custody without bond. According to court documents, “a substantial amount of digital and forensic evidence” was found inside Bhatt and Kafle Bhatt shared.
A residential fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in the 800 block of Walnut Drive, prompting a swift response from Stafford County Fire and Rescue (SCFR) units. The fire was reported just before 2:40 p.m., and firefighters arrived on the scene within five minutes to find flames engulfing multiple sides of the single-family home.
Despite challenges posed by the steep terrain and the distance to the nearest hydrants, the fire was brought under control within 30 minutes. Fortunately, no occupants were in the home at the time, and there were no reported injuries among the residents. The occupants, one adult and four children, are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.
Update 5:40 p.m.: Naresh Bhatt has been charged with concealing a dead body. It is a felony charge of Prohibition Against Concealment of Dead Body in violation of Section 18.2-323.02 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended. He is being held without bond at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center.
Manassas Park police are expected to hold a press conference Thursday afternoon to share more details on the case. MPPD has not yet announced if they have found a body in connection with Kafle’s disappearance.
Marine Corps Base Quantico has announced a series of live-fire training exercises scheduled from August 26 to August 30.
These exercises will include demonstrations using fragmentation devices and .50 caliber munitions, potentially resulting in louder-than-usual noise.
Police found a decomposed body in the woods near the Featherstone Square Shopping Center. They are investigating.
Fire and rescue units responded to a townhouse fire on William Harris Way in the Rippon area of Woodbridge. Smoke was visible, and all occupants were safely evacuated. The basement-origin fire was quickly extinguished without injuries, though the home was deemed unsafe. Three adults were displaced, and the American Red Cross assisted.
Press release:
Fredericksburg Parks, Recreation, and Events will host its inaugural “Day of Play” at the Virginia Credit Union Stadium on September 21, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The family-focused event will feature a variety of activities like an obstacle course, kayak paddling pool, baseball pitch, and Ga Ga ball. University of Mary Washington’s Cheerleading team will teach cheerleading skills, while Mary Washington Healthcare will host Wellness Workshops. The event will also have a Toddler Area, designed for the youngest attendees.
In the early hours of August 21, police responded to a single-vehicle accident on the 600 block of Poplar Road at 1:10 a.m. following a report that a Toyota Avalon struck a tree and rolled over several times.
Upon arrival, deputies found four individuals in the vehicle. The driver, identified as Landon Lynn, 18, of Stafford, was pronounced dead at the scene. The three passengers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
The Stafford County School Board will hold a special called meeting on Tuesday, August 27, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, livestreamed online, and televised on local cable channels. The public is invited to attend, but the agenda does not include public comments.
The meeting agenda includes a transportation update; Stafford Public Schools faced a chaotic first week with major software issues that left thousands of students without transportation to and from school. The board will also discuss redistricting for the county’s newest High School, which will impact students in the 2026-27 school year. The school will be located between Route 17 and Truslow Road in the southwestern part of the county. This area currently does not have a public high school, and the new facility is expected to help alleviate overcrowding in the existing schools.
