RICHMOND, Va. - Firefighters said an accidental electrical problem sparked an early morning house fire that caused evacuations from an apartment building and portions of Broad Street to close early Thursday morning.
The building at 308 West Broad Street houses 7 occupied apartment units and the sales department for local radio stations. Investigators said the fire appears to have started on third floor. The intitial call came in around 3:22am for an electrical fire at the address.
None of the radio stations, which are in the building right next door, ever went off air despite the fact that the building over head was on fire.
No one was injured, firefighters said.
Richmond firefighter Sean Riley rushed into the building while it was burning. He spotted a cat lying on a couch, grabbed it, and ran out of the burning building.
"When I went to pick him up, I was a little worried," said Riley. "I made sure I put my gloves on right because I wasn't sure what he was feeling right now."
Riley was able to safely return the cat to his owner.
There is no word on the cost of the damage, but the walls inside a third floor apartment were completely charred. Crews began cleaning up the mess Thursday morning.
