Chesterfield apartment complex residents reeling after third fire in 2 years

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Residents of a Chesterfield apartment complex are seeing a familiar site after one of its buildings caught fire for the third time in just over two years — this time, leaving five residents injured and nearly 50 without a home.

The fire, which took place at the Colonial Village at Waterford on Pavilion Place on the night of Sunday, Oct. 22, damaged 12 apartments. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Neighbors told 8News Chesterfield Fire and EMS crews got to the scene quickly and had the fire under control a little over an hour after it was reported. A firefighter was taken to the hospital, but has since been released. Four others were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

This is not the first time the residents of this apartment complex have been affected by fire. In June of 2021, a fire broke out, leaving 19 residents without a home. Just six months later, another fire forced 17 residents out.

Anthony Alexander, who moved into a nearby building in the complex less than a year ago, said that he understands what his neighbors are going through after having lost everyone in a house fire himself.

“It can be really traumatizing to lose your home and to to lose everything, that over a lifetime, you have accumulated,” said Alexander. “And some of those things are non replaceable.”

Alexander said the complex is a tight-knit community and he is sure residents will come together to help those who lost everything.

“We will find out what’s going on,” said Alexander. “I called the front office to see what we can do to help out.”