Former Virginia Governor and U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb (D) and his wife Lynda are hospitalized with nonlife-threatening injuries after a fire rampaged through their mansion in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Tuesday night, according to a WTOP report.
Units currently on scene of two alarm house fire in 600 block of Chain Bridge Road in McLean. 1st arriving units reported fire throughout 1st floor of a large home. Two persons transported to hospital w/non-life-threatening injuries. @ArlingtonVaFD and @mcfrs assisting. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/jUStCUVtKt
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2021
The former governor suffered severe burns, and Lynda, the eldest daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, is undergoing treatment for smoke inhalation, Lynda’s sister Luci Baines Johnson told WTOP. Tom Johnson, a former spokesman for President Johnson, told the outlet the McLean home is a total loss and added that the Robbs’ three daughters are en route to the area.
Update – two alarm house fire in 600 block of Chain Bridge Road in McLean. Second alarm units returning to service. Fire Investigators on scene to determine cause. Photos from earlier in Fire. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/k6KGjULXh4
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2021
Property records put the home’s value at $3.4 million, according to WTOP.
Chuck Robb was elected Virginia’s governor in 1982 and served for four years. In 1989, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and served two terms before losing his re-election campaign in 2000 to Republican candidate George Allen.
Fairfax County first responders were alerted to the fire at the 600 block of Chain Bridge Road around 11:30 p.m., according to WTOP. Once on scene, they witnessed the fire burning through the home’s first floor. Eventually, a second alarm was called as the flames sprawled to the home’s roof.
“It was a very large house and a significant portion of the house was engulfed in flames,” Bill Delaney, a spokesman with the Fairfax County Fire Department, said per the Washington Post.
Some 60 firefighters from Fairfax, Arlington, and Montgomery counties worked for over an hour-and-a-half to get control of the blaze, the Post reported.
Update – two alarm house fire in 600 block of Chain Bridge Road in McLean. Fire is under control. Crews hitting hot spots. No reported firefighter injuries at this time. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/4RGQGHyUVq
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2021
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue tweeted that it could take days to weeks to determine the cause, due to the fire’s severity. Delaney told the Washington Post that investigators had not yet discovered signs of foul play.
ATTN Media: There are currently no updates re house fire in 600 blk of Chain Bridge Rd. Fire investigators must complete investigation before info re cause can be released. Based on severity of fire it could take days/weeks. #FCFRD will release new info as it becomes available. pic.twitter.com/FTvDrhQbiH
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) December 22, 2021
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