Fire News Fire

Filmed on Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, on March 26, 2004, when a fire destroyed an apartment building under construction as strong winds carried embers onto I95 and across the city to ignite around another twenty-five homes. It was started by a construction worker throwing a cigarette but into a dumpster on his lunch break. A firetruck and cars outside the School of Art opposite the fire started to explode. I filmed under the flames until it grew too hot, and then was progressively moved back by police until forced into the press pool where I then filmed the newscasters.

“Lieutenant Keith Vida with the Richmond Fire Department says that several buildings are on fire and rooftops on several more, in the area of the academic campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. Vida says the first fire started just after noon in a four-story apartment building under construction near a parking garage and university bookstore and the Siegel Center, V-C-U’s main sports arena. Wind blew burning debris onto other buildings in other blocks north of the fire, toward Interstate 95. Traffic is at a standstill in the area, including Interstate 95. Vida says Richmond police have evacuated several buildings, and are going door-to-door in the area, asking people to leave their homes, in case the fire spreads to their building. State troopers are helping city police with traffic and crowd control. Vida says they don’t know what caused the fire.”