RICHMOND -
Richmond fire investigators say the three-alarm fire at the Chesterfield Square Apartments was started accidentally, though they did not release a cause.
Three people remain displaced and are receiving help from the Red Cross. The remaining fire victims are staying with family or friends according to investigators. The apartment complex says they won't be able to re-house the residents until the end of January 2010.
The above is an update to our original story written below:
Fire crews are back on the scene of a three-alarm apartment fire checking the building to make sure everyone that lived in the complex was evacuated. Crews helped 96 people escape the flames after the fire broke out Tuesday night.
Richmond firefighters say 172 people occupy the building at the Chesterfield Square Apartments and want to make sure no one was left behind, but that's not the only possible scenario.
Lt. Shawn Jones says, "Other individuals could be out of town, could be with family members or could have left prior to the fire department being on scene."
The apartment building is a subsidized complex for seniors 62 and older and for the disabled. Investigators believe the fire started in building C of the complex and the third floor collapsed. Firefighters from Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico battled the flames.
As investigators sift through the ashes they are also trying to figure out how the fire started.
Lt. Shawn Jones says, "We so have reports of individuals that have said it started because of a candle, but that is pure speculation at this point until we can get in and identify where the area of origin is."
Two people were injured in the fire, but those injuries were minor and did not require hospitalization. When the fire broke out, evacuees were taken by GRTC bus to Chippenham Hospital to be checked out and later transported to Bon Air United Methodist Church on Buford Road. That's where they were helped by the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Red Cross is now trying to determine how long the temporary shelter at the church should remain open.
Paul Hundley says, "Today, we'll be evaluating whether or not it's feasible to continue operating this shelter for that population or if we need to develop a different plan of attack for their housing needs this evening and beyond."
One man, Don Rohm a displaced resident talked with our Catie Beck. Rohm says, "You never think of anything like this happening and when it does it just messes up your whole life."
There had been three prior fires at the complex. Rohm says there have also been several false alarms. He says there was just a false alarm last week and when Tuesday's fire broke out he hesitated to escape, "I got to the end of my hall to go down the steps and I smelled the smoke coming by really hard and thought, 'oh no, this is not a false alarm'."
Three people remain displaced and are receiving help from the Red Cross. The remaining fire victims are staying with family or friends according to investigators. The apartment complex says they won't be able to re-house the residents until the end of January 2010.
The above is an update to our original story written below:
Fire crews are back on the scene of a three-alarm apartment fire checking the building to make sure everyone that lived in the complex was evacuated. Crews helped 96 people escape the flames after the fire broke out Tuesday night.
Richmond firefighters say 172 people occupy the building at the Chesterfield Square Apartments and want to make sure no one was left behind, but that's not the only possible scenario.
Lt. Shawn Jones says, "Other individuals could be out of town, could be with family members or could have left prior to the fire department being on scene."
The apartment building is a subsidized complex for seniors 62 and older and for the disabled. Investigators believe the fire started in building C of the complex and the third floor collapsed. Firefighters from Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico battled the flames.
As investigators sift through the ashes they are also trying to figure out how the fire started.
Lt. Shawn Jones says, "We so have reports of individuals that have said it started because of a candle, but that is pure speculation at this point until we can get in and identify where the area of origin is."
Two people were injured in the fire, but those injuries were minor and did not require hospitalization. When the fire broke out, evacuees were taken by GRTC bus to Chippenham Hospital to be checked out and later transported to Bon Air United Methodist Church on Buford Road. That's where they were helped by the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Red Cross is now trying to determine how long the temporary shelter at the church should remain open.
Paul Hundley says, "Today, we'll be evaluating whether or not it's feasible to continue operating this shelter for that population or if we need to develop a different plan of attack for their housing needs this evening and beyond."
One man, Don Rohm a displaced resident talked with our Catie Beck. Rohm says, "You never think of anything like this happening and when it does it just messes up your whole life."
There had been three prior fires at the complex. Rohm says there have also been several false alarms. He says there was just a false alarm last week and when Tuesday's fire broke out he hesitated to escape, "I got to the end of my hall to go down the steps and I smelled the smoke coming by really hard and thought, 'oh no, this is not a false alarm'."
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