Loudoun County moves to demolish burned townhome nearly 1 year after deadly fire

STERLING Va. - Nearly a year after investigators said a man set his Sterling, Virginia, home on fire, killing a neighbor and destroying surrounding units, the burned-out property still stands as a painful reminder for residents. 

What we know:

On Wednesday night, Loudoun County leaders began taking action to tear the property down. 

It comes after months of frustration from neighbors who are questioning why it has taken so long to remove the rubble.

The fire occurred in October 2025. 78-year-old Jacob Bogatin was charged with intentionally setting his townhome on fire. The flames spread to surrounding units, destroying three townhomes. 

The fire also killed 36-year-old Melanie Akers, who lived next door.

READ MORE |  78-year-old man charged with intentionally setting fire that killed woman in Sterling

For neighbors like Geoff Barker, having to walk past the area every day reminds him of the trauma of that night. Barker remembers watching the disaster unfold from his front window. 

"It was a lot... so I went to the front window and saw the fire," Barker recalled. "It was tough. And just watching it spread from house to house."

Months later, he says the site is a horrifying "reminder of a murder" that brings nothing but "disgust... it needs to go, it needs to be moved."

Health and safety concerns

What they're saying:

While Melanie Akers’ property was eventually taken down, the adjacent burned structure has remained standing for the last eight months. Neighbors say the site has become a serious health and safety concern as the structure continues to slowly collapse.

Families with young children live directly next to the ruins and are constantly exposed to the physical dangers and the lingering odor of the fire, neighbors said.

"You can smell it, the burning," Barker said. "They got [to] live with it... we do too. But they have kids."

Moving toward demolition

What's next:

According to county leaders, the long delay in clearing the site was caused by an ongoing battle between the bank and the insurance company.

To bypass the issue, the County Board of Supervisors officially approved an ordinance Wednesday night to accelerate the demolition. Under this new ordinance, county leaders said they can have the structure taken down 30 days after the appeal expiration.

With the demolition on the horizon, neighbors are hoping the land can eventually be cleared and transformed.

Barker hopes county leaders will use the space to build a respectable memorial to honor Melanie Akers.

Loudoun CountyNewsVirginia