CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A woman has died following a house fire in Chesterfield County on Saturday afternoon. The fire, which broke out at approximately 12:27 p.m. on March 8, prompted an emergency response from Chesterfield Fire and EMS crews.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 4200 block of Richwine Road at 12:31 p.m., where they encountered a blaze in a room at the front of the residence. Crews managed to bring the fire under control within 40 minutes, but tragically, the woman was found dead at the scene.
In addition to the loss of life, two police officers and one firefighter sustained fire-related injuries while responding to the incident. Fortunately, all three individuals were transported to local hospitals with injuries that were later determined to be non-life-threatening.
Officials confirmed that cats were inside the home during the fire, and emergency crews were able to save as many as they could.
Chesterfield Fire and EMS urged the public to take precautions to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Chesterfield Captain and Deputy Fire Marshal Joe Harvey emphasized the importance of fire safety, particularly with regard to smoke detectors. “With something like this happening today, it’s very tragic,” said Harvey. “But we want to put that message out there — take the time this evening with your kids, check the smoke detector, change the batteries, vacuum the dust out of them so the sensors are clean and maybe talk to your family about a fire escape plan.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire preparedness and the critical role of working smoke detectors in safeguarding lives.
