Virginia Wholesale Nursery Fire Billows Smoke Into the Sky

On February 7, 2005, at 12:30 PM, the Chesapeake (Virginia) Fire Department received a 911 call of "a terrible fire" at a local wholesale nursery specializing in potted plants.

First arriving Engine 15 reported heavy fire and thick, black smoke from a utility building surrounded by various buildings and flammable storage tanks. A second alarm, along with a hazardous materials response was immediately transmitted.

The site contained various pesticides, fertilizers, and fuels of many types.

The location of the facility was in a rural area not served by hydrants. A total of nine engine companies performed a water shuttle operation. The fire took over two hours to control and resulted in $750,000 damage. The cause remains undetermined.