CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake firefighters tackled a large fire that consumed several units in an apartment building and left 20 people displaced Friday Night.
It happened on Linster Street, in the Portlock section of the city.
The department tweeted about the blaze at 10:30 p.m. Fire officials say it was a two-alarm fire.
According to a fire department spokesperson, they received the first call about this shortly after 10 p.m. Fire crews arrived on the scene within five minutes and could see heavy smoke and flames coming from the first and second floors.
“As firefighters were arriving on scene, they were notified of possible residents that were still inside,” Lt. Robert Warren with the Chesapeake Fire Department told 13News Now.
Warren said when first responders learned that people were trapped inside, they called for more medics and firefighters.
“We had two medics because of the number of patients that were found and an additional ladder and battalion,” he said.
Firefighters immediately began searching the building. This led to them rescuing a child from a second-floor apartment and a woman was rescued from a first-floor apartment. Both of them were immediately taken to a local emergency room for treatment.
The woman was brought in critical condition, according to the fire department, but the child's injuries were minor.
The fire was called under control just before 11 p.m.
According to the spokesperson, a total of eight apartments were significantly damaged by fire, smoke, and/or water. None of the eight units can be re-occupied, leaving eight families without somewhere to stay.
They are all receiving assistance from the Red Cross, the department said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.