RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond fire crews fought flames for more than an hour at a mechanic shop in Richmond's West End on Monday morning.
Chief Raymond Neville said a passerby saw flames shooting from a bay at World Foreign Car Service and called 911 at 3:38 a.m.
Firefighters arrived five minutes later to find the structure with cars inside fully engulfed near the intersection of Three Chopt Road and Patterson Avenue.
An hour after crews first arrived, CBS 6 photojournalist April Harshman still saw flames shooting from the roof.
Crews called a two-alarm fire due to the strength and intensity of the flames.
“Due to the construction type, we are having a hard time getting to the seat of the fire. It is in the roof structure at this time,” Chief Neville explained. “We are trying to pull the roof apart to get to it without sacrificing firefighters on the roof itself. They are operating from aerial devices to try to cut it open.”
Chief Neville said his crews witnessed small explosions inside the shop due to water reacting with magnesium.
He said at least nine cars inside and outside the shop were damaged.
The warmer temperatures compared to last week’s bitter cold helped firefighters endure the lengthy fire attack.
“We are actually just talking about the fact that it’s 38 degrees, and we are all acting like it’s summertime because it’s been so cold,” Neville explained.
The Metro Richmond Flying Squad set up in the Village Shopping Center parking lot for crews to rest and rehabilitate.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
