HAMPTON, Va. — A firefighter was sent to the hospital, and dozens of cars and multiple buildings were damaged after an accidental fire in a salvage yard in Hampton Monday afternoon. That's according to the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.
A call came in around 2:30 p.m. about a fire in the salvage yard on West Pembroke Avenue near the intersection of West Queen Street, the fire department said.
As firefighters were fighting the fire, they learned the fire was spreading to the neighborhood that backs up to the salvage yard.
More firefighters were called in to the neighborhood to fight the fire from that side.
Photojournalist James Gary captured the scene from Kilverstone Way, just south of the I-64/664 interchange.
"You were working two operations simultaneously, even though it was the same fire. So the tactics on this side versus the tactics on the other side," Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum responded when asked if this fire was more difficult than a fire contained to one location.
"They have limited access over there [in the salvage yard], there are aisleways between the cars that make it extremely difficult to move the hose. On this side, we had a large, eight-foot fence we had to cut down and then kind of move through from there," Chittum continued.
A foam truck from the Chesapeake Fire Department was brought to help because of the cars on fire in the salvage yard.
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The fire department estimated around 50 cars and some buildings in the salvage yard were damaged, according to the fire department. At least one home received minor damage, and one firefighter was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
They were expected to be okay.
Derrick Quash's home backs up to the salvage yard. He said he was working in his yard and had just gone inside to get some water when the fire started.
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“Heard a big bang, so I thought it was thunder because I know we’re expecting rain later on today. As I was going toward the front door, I saw a lady pull up to the front of my house and saying I need to come outside, I need to get out of the house," Quash recalled. "I thought maybe my house, roof, got struck by lightning, so as I came out of the house and looked around the corner toward the back, I see the smoke. It’s coming from the salvage yard. The flames were, maybe, five feet above the evergreen trees.”
The fire department said the fire is considered accidental. Workers in the salvage yard were using torches to cut stuff up. Sparks from the torches set something on fire and the fire spread from there.
As of 5 p.m., the fire was under control.
