House Fire on Southside

On December 30th at 0129 hours, Richmond Fire units were called to the 4500 block of Crotan Road for a reported house fire. Q-25 arrived on scene with a brick and wood frame house with heavy fire from the A side of the house. Units entered the house and discovered heavy fire in the basement and on the first floor of the residence. Two people were home at the time of the fire and were able to escape the house without injury. The fire was marked under control at 0258 hours. All units returned to service shortly after 5 a.m. The fire is still under investigation.

Vacant house fire in Richmond.

At 1359 hours on December 28th, E-17, Q-20, E-6, E-21, Rescue 3, Safety 2, and BC-1 were dispatched to the intersection of Wise Street and West 24th Street for a reported house fire. As Q-6 was enroute to the call, they reported heavy black smoke seen in that area. E-17 arrived on scene to find heavy smoke showing from a one story wood frame structure. E-17 established a water supply and launched an aggressive fire attack as Q-20 performed Truck Company Operations. BC-1 arrived on scene and ordered personnel out of the structure. Communications issued the evacuation tones and firefighters exited the house and went into defensive operations. Fire officials were informed that the house was a vacant structure. The exposure on the B side was also a vacant structure and received some fire damage. The fire was marked under control at 1437 hours. The fire is under investigation at this time.

Fatal House Fire in Richmond

On Sunday, December 27th at 1757 E-15, Q-14, Q-5, Q-16, R-2, Safety 2, and BC-1 were dispatched to the 2800 block of 3rd Avenue for a reported house fire. While units were responding to this call they received additional information that a man on crutches was stuck on the second floor. At 1801, Engine 15 arrived on scene with a 2-story wood frame house with the second floor fully involved. Engine 15 established a water supply and performed fire attack as Q-14 performed Truck Company Operations. Q-5 progressed to the second floor to assist with fire attack while Q-16 was assigned as the Rapid Intervention Crew. Members of Rescue 2 performed a search of the house, locating one person deceased on the second floor.

There are a total of six people who lived at this address. The Red Cross assisted four people who were displaced by the fire. The fire is still under investigation at this time. The body was transported to the medical examiners office for identification.

The fire was brought under control at 1835. This is the second fatal fire in the City of Richmond this year.

Richmond Fire Battles House Fire with a Near Miss

On December 18, the City was busy with nearly 10 inches of snow at 2320 hours Q-1, Q-11, Q-8, Q-5, Q-6, R-1, Safety 2 and BC-1 were dispatched to the 500 block of N. 33rd Street for a reported house fire. BC-1 arrived on scene with heavy fire showing from the C side of a two story wood frame structure with fire spreading to the B and D exposure he immediately requested the 2nd alarm. Units did have some difficulty responding to this incident due to weather conditions. Units placed several 2½" lines in service to protect the exposures and the original fire structure. Units entered the house and begin fire attack. Chief 2 arrived on location and immediately did a walk around of the incident and discovered conditions on the C side had deteriorated and immediately ordered the evacuation of the structure. Emergency communications activated the evacuation tones and units quickly departed the structure, within 60 seconds there was partial collapse of the roof. This truly was a near miss for our personnel. The fire was marked under control shortly after midnight. Units remained on scene assisting the fire investigators well into the morning. The fire is under investigation.

Fatal Fire in Richmond

At 06:16 on December 8th, units were dispatched to the 1400 block of Lynhaven Aveune for a reported house fire. While units were en route to this call they received additional information indicating that an elderly wheelchair-bound person was possibly still inside. Rescue 3 arrived on location to find a 1½ story wood frame structure with heavy fire showing from the B and D side of the house. Rescue 3 forced entry into the structure as Q-21 secured a water source and launched an aggressive fire attack. Q-17 performed truck company operations, Q-22 assisted with fire attack and Q-20 was assigned as the RIT team. Units discovered fire in the basement area of the house as well as on the first floor and in the attic of the house. The fire was brought under control at 06:53 hours.

Rescue 2 was called in on a special request to help shore up the kitchen area of the house, which received heavy damage as a result of the fire. The fire was determined to have started in the kitchen and was ruled accidental.

Southside House Fire

On December 7th at 15:26 Richmond Fire units were dispatched to the 2500 Block of Sisco Avenue for a reported house fire. Rescue 3 arrived on scene with a 1½ story house with heavy fire showing from the attic. Rescue 3 personnel performed a quick search of the house that proved negative. E-21 secured a water source and launched an aggressive fire attack as Q-22 performed truck operations. The fire was brought under control at 15:57. The fire was ruled accidental in nature, caused by an electrical overload.

Southside Garage Fire

On December 7th at 11 a.m. Richmond Fire units were dispatched to the area of 20th and Decatur for a reported garage fire. Rescue 3 was a few blocks away and reported that they had a large column of black smoke showing in the distance. Rescue 3 arrived and reported a single garage well involved in fire. Q-20 arrived on scene and secured a water source and performed fire attack. The fire was marked under control within 20 minutes. Units remained on scene to assist an investigator, the fire is still under investigation at this time.

House Fire on Southside

On December 3 at 2:12 p.m. Richmond Fire units were dispatched to the 1300 block of Hodges Road for a reported fire alarm activation from the first and second floor smoke alarm.  Q-22 arrived on scene with smoke showing from the D side of a 2-story brick structure.  Q-22 established a water supply and began fire attack as Q-21 performed truck company operations.  Battalion 3 arrived on scene and requested the additional units to fill the assignment.  Units found fire on the first floor and in the attic area of the house.  The Red Cross was called in to assist two occupants.  The fire was marked under control at 3:21 p.m. and the cause of the fire is accidental.

Early Morning House Fire on Jackson Street.

On December 3 at 0201 hours, Richmond Fire units were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 100 block of W. Jackson Street. Q-5 arrived on location within 2 minutes to discover a 2-story wood frame duplex with heavy fire showing from the A side of the structure from division 2. Q-5 personnel established a water supply as R-1 performed quick search of the fire involved duplex. All the residence escaped the fire without injuries. Battalion 1 arrived on location and requested the second alarm as the fire spread to a nearby exposure on the D side of the structure. The fire was brought under control 0303 hours and the fire is under investigation.

Train Derailment in Richmond

On December 1 at 0301 Richmond Fire units were dispatched to the area of 7th and Hospital Street for a reported train derailment. Units arrived on location to find a CSX train on the track. The set contained 100 railcars and of the 100 cars, 14 of them derailed and 12 of the 14 lost its load of coal. The railcars contained coal only and no hazardous materials. Fire units remained on scene until about 6 a.m.