CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Multiple families have been displaced after a large fire burned through the roof of an apartment building in Chesapeake.
Ten units in total at the Thrive Place Apartments, off George Washington Highway at Gilmerton Road in the Deep Creek area, were impacted by fire, smoke and/or water damage, per Captain Steven Bradley with the Chesapeake Fire Department.
The fire broke out in a second floor apartment at 1:11 p.m. Wednesday, and residents of the apartment of origin were able to safely evacuate. The fire eventually moved to the attic and spread to adjacent units.
“Firefighters found thick, black smoke coming from the second floor and the roofline. They immediately deployed large diameter hose lines and started a search of all eight apartments,” Bradley said.
Chopper 10 flew over the scene and saw firefighters using two ladder trucks to spray water onto the roof. They also used multiple handlines from the ground.
One man was treated at the scene for minor burn-related injuries, but no other injuries were reported. Firefighters credited working smoke detectors, as well as a fire wall that helped prevent the fire from extending to adjacent apartments, for helping to limit the amount of damage.
“My roof [is] gone,” said resident Alexis Bardini. “There was smoke everywhere. I couldn’t even get in the parking lot.”
Bradley said the fire was extensive.
“So, extensive fire damage to eight apartments. And then we had water damage to two second floor apartments on the other side of the firewall. We were not able to prevent the fire from running through the attic space above the eight apartments,” Bradley said.
Bardini and Xavier Henderson said the fire left their apartment condemned, and it will take time to recover.
“Me and my son and my boyfriend are OK,” Bardini said. “But we’re going to [have to] work a long way to get it all back. We have to wait and see what the Red Cross has. We don’t have anything. This was our apartment that we worked really hard for, so we lost everything.”
Said Henderson: “I lost everything, so it was literally everything we put our money into that.”
The Red Cross was dispatched to help those displaced. The cause of the fire meanwhile is still under investigation.
SL Nusbaum manages the apartment complex. The company has organized a donation drive to help the families impacted by this devastating fire. They will be collecting household items, clothes and shoes, children and infant items and toiletries and personal items.
All donations can be dropped off at the Leasing Office.
Thrive Apartment Homes
1020 Thrive Place #101, Chesapeake, VA
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
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