NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Eight adults and nine children are now without a home three days before Christmas.
Eight units in an apartment are now uninhabitable after a fire in Norfolk on Dec. 21, officials said. Norfolk Fire and Rescue with the aid of Chesapeake Fire Department were dispatched to a residential fire around 6:25 p.m. at the 1700 block of Springfield Avenue.
Crews arrived to find heavy fire coming for the first-floor apartment of a two-story eight unit apartment building. The crews tried to go inside to fight the fire, but were forced to stay on the outside. Additional assistance was requested as the fire had spread to the second floor and attic.
The fire was under control around 7:05 p.m. All eight units have been left untenable. Norfolk Fire and Rescue is attempting to identify all occupants, however all residents will be displaced. The Red Cross has been contacted to assist those displaced.
Residents told 10 On Your Side that the landlord had not fixed certain electrical issues, leaving exposed wires in the walls or ceilings. They also said there were no fire extinguishers inside the apartments and few with smoke detectors. 10 On Your Side called the number for the landlord, but the man who answered denied he was the owner and hung up.
One resident, who didn’t want to give her name, said most tenants have family to stay with, but it’s not the same.
“It’s not comfortable staying with anybody when you have children, when you’re used to your own, you know?”
Those who lived here are a tight-knit group, always helping each other out. However, they can only offer comfort at this time.
“I can’t scratch her back, I can just give her my shoulder to lean on,” said one resident.
A local sent in the below videos showing the impact of the fire:
No injuries have been reported at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
