VBFD: Multiple families displaced after apartment complex fire damages 24 units leaving 16 uninhabitable in Virginia Beach

Posted: Dec 27, 2020 / 05:07 PM MST

Updated: Dec 27, 2020 / 11:31 PM MST

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Crews responded to an apartment complex fire in Virginia Beach Sunday afternoon that left multiple families displaced after damaging 24 units, 16 of which are uninhabitable.

The call came in around 4:37 p.m. for the incident in the 1700 block of Yellow Knife Trail at the Indian Lakes Apartments off of Indian River Road.

Once on the scene, responding units with Virginia Beach Fire said there was “heavy fire showing on floors one and two” causing them to upgrade the response to a second alarm to get a full second response for assistance.

“It started on the first floor, vertically extended into the second floor and then the attic, and then went laterally across,” said VBFD District Chief Steve Lesinski.

Officials say the fire was under control at 5:16 p.m. and marked out at 5:53 p.m.

As of about 8 p.m., fire officials said 24 units were involved, of which 10 sustained severe damage and 14 of the units have moderate smoke and water damage. In total, 16 units are considered uninhabitable.

“Oh, it was horrible. The flames were shooting high. My daughter lives a half-mile away and she could see the black smoke from her house,” said resident Cheryl Edwards.

Officials on the scene told 10 On Your Side that the fire started outside of the building, possibly from “improperly discarded ashes.”

All occupants were evacuated and one civilian was reportedly transported to a local hospital with a “smoke inhalation issue.” No other injuries were reported.

The cause is still under investigation. Red Cross says they are assisting “multiple families” displaced by the fire but it is not clear yet how many.

No further information is available.

Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.
Photos by the VBFD Multimedia Services Unit © 2020 – City of Virginia Beach Fire Department. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the expressed prior written permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please email vbfdpio@vbgov.com or permissions to use, please contact Darnell Evans at DEevans@vbgov.com.