Crews battle massive debris fire at Franklin County recycling plant

VIDEO: A fire at the OmniSource Southeast plant in Franklin County is more than 75% out, after first responder crews spent all day Thursday battling the massive blaze. Dozens of crews were coming in and out of the plant all day Thursday, working to refill their water tanks, and working to contain the fire and the flames. Plant workers reported smoke coming out of a debris pile around 9:30 Thursday morning. Franklin County’s Chief of Public Safety explained by the time crews got there, smoke was billowing up to the sky. “When I got on scene the entire pile itself was ablaze,” Chief Michael Fowler said. “[I thought] it’s going to be a long day.” The burning debris pile was 40 feet high and 100 feet long, according to the chief.
WDBJ-TV CBS 7 Roanoke

Virginia Beach Fire Department asks residents to ‘Light the Night in Red’ to honor fallen firefighters this May

The Virginia Beach Fire Department (VBFD) is asking residents to ‘Light the Night in Red’ for National Fallen Firefighters Week May 1-5. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, founded in 1992, aims to lead a nationwide effort to remember the firefighters who died in the line of duty. VBFD Captain Matthew “Chevy” R. Chiaverotti, who passed away following a battle with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, also known as “occupational cancer” for firefighters, April 17, 2023, will be honored, along with 226 firefighters who died in the line of duty this past year. Residents and businesses across Virginia Beach are encouraged to illuminate their homes and buildings with a red light the week of May 1-5 to show support for the fallen firefighters.
WAVY-TV NBC 10 Portsmouth

Cause not determined for Roanoke house fire

No injuries were reported after a house fire in Roanoke Thursday night. Just before midnight April 25, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a fire in the 1200 block of Dale Avenue SE. Crews found fire and heavy smoke from a vacant home. After crews got inside the house, they determined conditions were unsafe for an interior fire attack, so flames were fought from the outside until flames were extinguished. The fire is under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office. The estimated damages to the structure and its contents are $25,000, according to the fire department.
WDBJ-TV CBS 7 Roanoke

Large fire tears through New Kent County pallet company yard, destroys rows of product

PHOTOS: A severe fire in the yard of a New Kent County pallet company tore through rows of product on Wednesday. According to New Kent Fire-Rescue, firefighters were called to the Allied Pallet Company, located at 7151 Poindexter Rd., at about 8:51 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 for report of a possible structure fire. When they arrived at the scene, crews found heavy smoke conditions and 25 rows of stacked pallets consumed by fire. According to fire officials, firefighters at the scene were able to keep the flames from further spreading, and marked the fire under control within 20 minutes. No other information, such as the cause of the fire, has been shared by fire officials as of the time of reporting.
WAVY-TV NBC 10 Portsmouth