MANY FIRES DURING THIS WINTER HEATING SEASON: 7 INJURED, 22 DISPLACED AFTER FIRE TEARS THROUGH CHESTERFIELD APARTMENT BUILDING OVERNIGHT
February
11, 2015
CHESTERFIELD
COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) —
Crews
are on scene of a fire that tore through an apartment building overnight,
injuring seven and displacing 22 occupants.
Officials
say that a call for a report of a fire at the Bellwood Maisonette Apartments
off Jefferson Davis Highway came in around 2:45 a.m. Wednesday.
The
intensity of the flames pushed firefighters out of building, officials tell
8News. Crews then shifted to a defensive mode of attack. Once the majority of
the fire was extinguished, crews went back inside to continue searching for
occupants.
Five
people have been taken to the hospital so far with minor injuries. Two others
were treated on scene. Some of them had smoke inhalation and minor burns. One
person was injured after jumping out of a second-floor window
Firefighters
are working with apartment management to determine how many people might have
been inside. Officials tell 8News there are 14 units in the affected building
and that 13 are currently being rented.
The
fire did not spread to any other buildings at the apartment complex, but it did
pull power from a neighboring building. Crews are in the process of getting
that restored.
There’s
been no word on a cause and origin yet.
The
Red Cross assisting those who were displaced.