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Massive West End apartment fire deemed suspicious

Posted at 1:48 PM, Apr 01, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-01 15:18:47-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va - Fire investigators now say a massive fire two weeks ago that destroyed several units at the Hickory Creek Apartments in Henrico's West End  has been ruled suspicious.

The fire, which broke out around 7 p.m. on Monday, March 23, destroyed eight of the building's ten apartments.

Officials said Wednesday that the Fire Marshal’s Office asks anyone who may have information about the blaze to call the Henrico Arson Hotline 652-3473. Additionally, fire officials ask anyone who took photos or video of the fire to email them to Firemarshal@henrico.us.

"Because of the ongoing investigation there is no further information that can be released at this time," Capt. Daniel Rosenbaum with Henrico Division of Fire wrote in a news release.

The apartment complex sits just off Mayland Drive behind the Tuckernuck Shopping Center near J.R. Tucker High School. Witnesses saw smoke from the massive blaze from miles away.

"I could feel the heat on my cheeks.  It was intense," resident Emily Meredith told CBS 6 News. She was standing only about 100 feet away from the fire. She lived in the building and watched as the structure burned and crews worked to get the fire under control.

No one was hurt, officials said, but 19 people were displaced because of the fire.

The worst fire damage occurred on the backside of the building.

Photos and video captured the fire tearing through a portion of the three-story building.

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