at the scene of the fatal house fire in waldorf, maryland, that claimed the life of 6-year-old zavion atkins and his 68-year-old grandmother bernice washington. we spoke to a family member who also offered prayer to give strength and guidance to the other family members gathered here today. >> we just want to thank you, lord. >> i want to thank god right now that he'll cover this family, just cover this neighborhood and just give them comfort. >> all new at 5:00, we'll talk to family members who share their memories of bernice washington and little zavion atkins. that's the latest from waldorf, maryland. back to you. >> i'm pat collins and this is st. ann's catholic church in arlington. tonight i'm doing a story about a man who spent a lot of time here. in fact, you say he almost lived here. in fact, you can say he did live here and nobody knew anything about it. they say each night he would bring up a laugh and crawl out the ladder and push up a ceiling top and go out to his makeshift home and replace the ceiling tile. they say he did that day after day after day for three years, and they d

four occupants got out of the house, but 6-year-old zavion atkins and his grandmother, 68-year-old bernice washington died in the fire. >> there is just a hole right now. just a part that is missing. >> reporter: bernice washington had 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. the family adored her and would gather every weekend for her special barbecues. >> she loved family. that was like the thing with her, family. it was just always about family no matter what, she would be always the one that wouldn't hold no grudges, just -- >> mow matter what happened she was there for us. >> uh-huh. >> 6-year-d zavion atkins was a first grader at malcolm elementary school. a note was sent home with students informing parents and guardians about his death. some of the teachers visited his family today. >> he was a lovely kid. he loved playing and he loved his grandmother and his grandmother loved him. they were together all of the time. she's missed. >> ahead, we'll hear from one of the family members who survived this fire. he was inside and he tells us about his efforts to save 68-year-old ber

she'll be missed and the baby. >> 6-year-old zavion atkins was a first grader at malcolm school. some of the teachers visited his family to express their condolences. >> the things that he do say would just make you laugh. you just never knew what he was going to say. >> that's true. >> i mean, i love him, and the family has started a go fund me page to pay funeral expenses and to begin replacing all of the things they now need to start over. you can find a link if you'd like to help on our nbc washington app. that's the latest from waldorf, maryland, chris gordon, news 4. >>> right now anybody trying to take rockville pike through bethesda is living a nightmare. this is a look right now at that ride through bethesda. the efforts to fix a broken water main continues for the second night. a transportation reporter adam tuss is there with more on why a warning system didn't work. >> it is an absolute mess, and again, take a look at the traffic that they were showing here. that is the northbound traffic toward the beltway and you have the cedar lane traffic turning up and there is o

of relatives gather there to mourn the loss of the two people who were killed there. 6-year-old zavion atkinsand his great grandmother and pillar in the community, 68- year-old bernice washington. >> she is a foundation for her kids and her grandkids. >> she did the world for everybody. >> he was a lovely kid. he loved playing and he loved his grandmother and his grandmother loved him. >> i think back even when i was that made sure you got -- you know, everywhere. >> thanks to a smoke detectdor, zavion's mother and three other relatives got our safely, but zavion and great grandmother were trapped. the fire marshal is investigating the cause of the pirri. >>> good news for those in bethesda. crews have reopened the northbound lanes of rockville pike near cedar lane and they are finishing up repairs on the southbound lane. crews earlier fixed a water main that broke yesterday afternoon. the repairs are expected to be done before the morning commute. >>> a retired army captain from maryland will receive the nation's highest military honor for disrupting suicide bombers in afghanistan. he's 32-y

the medical examiner, zavion atkins and his grandmother bernice washington died from smoke inhalation and burns. four other family members were able to get out of the house. alison: right now commuters are heading back to prince william county hoping to find their cars in the same condition they left them. this after a rash of fire theft and vandalism in the commuter lots. six vehicles have been hit in the last month. brianne carter will take a look at what is being done tonight at 6:00. crews tonight will close the far left lane of the inner loop at annapolis road. an hour later close two lanes and three lanes by 11:00. they should all be back open by tomorrow morning at 5:00 and it will continue each night until the routine maintenance is complete. a nice rebound today from the chill that started the week. the week is going to warm up lately. brian: ♪ the best is yet to come ♪ >> broke out in sinatra. brian: it was. stick to my day job. i know. outside the belfort furniture weather center right now is 71. beautiful today. light breeze. low 70's. frederick to winchester, manassas. fr

bernice washington and 6-year-old zavion atkin s died when a fire broke out in the hallway between their bedrooms last week. they died from smoke inhalation. the house is a total loss. fire crews managed to get four people out of the home safely. >>> bloodhounds are going to be used tomorrow to look for a missing teenager who was arrested last week in an attempted home invasion. steve coltman's family posted this sign on their front door in charles county urging him to call home. they say no one has seen or heard from him in more than a week. and there's concern because he may have a gun with him. police say coltman and two other teenagers tried to break into a home earlier this month but got scared off by a barking dog. >>> also news 4 cameras were there as police were pulling over cars in bethesda this afternoon because those drivers are not stopping for school buses when the school bus has its light on. police were waiting an river road and little falls parkway. they say this bus stop has been a trouble spot since the beginning of the school year. police say the cars, they have to sto

bernice washington and her 6-year-old grandson, zavion atkins did not make it out.the pair died from smoke inhalation. >>> the victim was driving home from work but his life ended that night. killed by a drunk driver. news 4's chris gordon explains why stafford county prosecutors raised the stakes in this case. >> reporter: they were still newlyweds. 27-year-old kevin hara and 24-year-old amanda sharp had been married just over a year. they were happy. planning their future and their family. but their dreams died along route 1 near manning drive. it happened the night of september 16th. kevin hara had just closed the pizza hut in stafford, and was heading home when police say an intoxicated driver, 59-year-old charles r. feif rear ended their car killing kevin. earlier this year he was convicted of drunk driving and lost his license, but he requested and was given restricted driving privileges. stafford county commonwealth's attorney eric olson at first charged feif with involuntary manslaughter but recently increased the charge to aggravated manslaughter. >> we det