Old Buckingham Station Apartment Complex Fire - (Chesterfield, Virginia - May 19, 1995) » Overview

On Friday, May 19, 1995 at 1:46 a.m., the Chesterfield County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 telephone report of a fire in the sprinklered Lodge Building at the Old Buckingham Station apartment complex. This X-shaped, three and four story, wood frame structure was the largest building in the complex and contained the management offices, social function room, and 58 apartments.

All residential buildings in the complex were protected by an automatic sprinkler system. The system design basis was a modified version of NFPA Standard No. 13D, the Standard for Sprinkler Systems in One-and Two-Family Dwellings. The 13D Standard was not intended for use in multifamily dwellings and NFPA 13R, which applies to multifamily dwellings up to and including four stories high, was first published in February 1989, after the complex was constructed. Details on the automatic sprinkler protection are provided later in this report. The sprinkler systems were connected to the domestic water service and through a 1-1/2 inch water meter, as would have been appropiate, not a low friction loss fire type meter. Some water meters have significant pressure losses and the NFPA sprinkler installation standards indicate that these losses must be included on the design calculations. Special fire meters are used to minimize pressure losses, especially at high water flow rates.

The first company on the scene found fire through the roof of the building’s center section with the fire spreading into all four building wings simultaneously. Fire department resources were divided between fire suppression and occupant search and rescue. Complicating the suppression effort was the location of the fire’s greatest involvement on the side of the building without direct street access, making rapid placement of hose streams directly on the fire more difficult.

By the time the fire was declared under control at 4:53 a.m., more than 3 hours later, over 30 apartments were completely destroyed, another 12 sustained heavy damage and the balance suffered smoke and water damage. None of the apartments could be occupied after the fire. The Chesterfield Fire Department committed 13 engines, 2 trucks and 5 special service units staffed by 76 officers and firefighters to this incident. Estimates of the fire loss are 4.4 million dollars for the building and 1.1 million dollars for tenant property.

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