Major Fire Damages Va. Apts., Displaces Families
Source Danville Register & Bee (Virginia)
A fire caused heavy damage to an apartment building and displaced two families Saturday morning on Jefferson Street in Danville.
The cause of the fire has not been determined and the fire marshal is investigating. No one was injured in the blaze that was reported just before 9 a.m. Saturday at 622 and 624 Jefferson St.
Three adults and five children were in the home when the fire began but left the structure by the time firefighters arrived, said Danville Fire Department Assistant Fire Marshal Richie Guill.
“Everybody was safe,”said Battalion Chief Dallas Swiney. “Thank God nobody was hurt.”
The American Red Cross offered assistance to the families, but they declined help because they already had places to stay, said Fire Marshal Shelby Irving.
Heavy fire was coming from the rear of the building when firefighters arrived, Swiney said. The blaze traveled up into the attic, caused the roof to collapse and resulted in heavy fire, smoke and water damage throughout the building. There were no firestops in the structure, Swiney said.
“It’s major,” Swiney said. “It’s very doubtful it can be reconstructed. It’s pretty much a total loss.”
Six pumpers, an aerial unit and 35 personnel responded to the fire. It took an hour for firefighters to control the fire, which was declared extinguished at about 11:45 a.m., Swiney said.
Firefighters had to extend a ladder with a nozzle at the end to shoot water onto the roof from above, Swiney said. The fire posed a threat to adjacent homes, he said.
Swiney said firefighters will return to the scene to make sure no fire has rekindled.
“We’ll still go back and spot-check to make sure there are no spot fires,” Swiney said.
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