Morning fires extinguished
Published 9:54 pm Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Firefighters were busy on Wednesday morning with two fires, one of which displaced 14 people.
The residential fire happened in the 200 block of Pinner Street. A neighbor reported the fire at 1:53 a.m., and the first units arrived on scene six minutes later, according to a city press release. All of the residents had left the building prior to firefighters’ arrival.
Crews found heavy smoke conditions and heavy fire showing from the rear first-floor windows of the two-story residence.
The fire was called under control at 2:36 a.m., and the home sustained heavy damage to the first floor. Four adults and 10 children were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury and was treated and released from Sentara Obici Hospital.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the press release stated.
Later in the morning, crews responded to a fire involving an excavator in the 1000 block of Centerpoint Drive off Holland Road. The fire was reported at 10:06 a.m., and the first units arrived eight minutes later, according to a city press release.
Firefighters found the excavator, which was removing trees in the area, fully engulfed about 300 feet from the roadway and about 15 feet into the wood line. A diesel fuel tank, containing about 150 gallons of fuel, was leaking, and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management responded to the scene to monitor clean-up efforts. Firefighters had to apply foam to control the fire due to the diesel fuel.
No waterways were affected by the diesel fuel spill, according to the press release. The Virginia Department of Forestry responded to the scene. The fire was called under control at 10:42 a.m., and there were no injuries.
The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.