Fire located in lower sub-basement; crews faced high-rise challenges
A two-alarm fire in downtown Richmond forced the evacuation of seven floors and prompted the closure of several streets Tuesday morning as emergency crews worked to reach and extinguish a blaze located two levels below ground.
The Richmond Fire Department said a report of smoke and fire at 823 East Main Street came in at approximately 10:32 a.m. Firefighters arriving on scene found heavy smoke conditions on the building's lower levels and on the first floor, and within minutes requested additional resources. The incident was upgraded to a second alarm at about 10:40 a.m.
Crews identified the origin of the fire in a pump room located in the lower sub-basement and were able to extinguish the blaze. Department officials said there were no reported injuries from the incident.
“We found fire conditions down in the lower level in one of the pump rooms,” Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal said, noting that operations in a high-rise with below-ground fire presented particular challenges.
Fire officials described several operational difficulties that prolonged access to the seat of the fire. The building’s heavy concrete construction and metal infrastructure hindered radio communications, Deputy Chief of Operations Rodney Epps said, complicating coordination among crews working both above and below ground.
- Location: 823 East Main Street, downtown Richmond
- Call received: ~10:32 a.m.
- Upgraded to second alarm: ~10:40 a.m.
- Evacuations: Seven levels above the fire floor
- Injuries: None reported
Chief Segal detailed the complexity of working in a tall structure where the fire was below street level, saying descending to lower levels while also moving personnel and equipment upward made the operation "very arduous." Epps added that elevators are not always used in such incidents, but when they are, it becomes a technical logistics effort to get firefighters and gear between floors.
Closing streets around the scene, Epps said, was necessary for establishing a reliable water supply and placing hydrants to sustain firefighting operations. The department emphasized that such perimeter control also ensured the safety of both the public and emergency personnel during the response.
Residents and workers in the downtown area reported street closures and increased emergency activity while crews operated. City officials did not report any structural collapse or spread of fire beyond the pump room; the extinguishing effort focused on the lower-level mechanical spaces.
The Richmond Fire Department did not provide an immediate cause for the fire in initial statements. Investigators typically examine mechanical rooms like pump rooms and associated equipment for possible ignition sources, and officials said further investigation would determine the origin and cause.
High-rise fires, particularly those originating below ground or within mechanical spaces, pose unique risks because of limited access, heavy structural materials that can block communication signals and the need to coordinate ventilation, water supply and personnel movement across many floors. Fire officials praised the responding crews for their work in bringing the incident under control without injuries.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 823 East Main Street |
| Alarm level | Two-alarm (upgraded at ~10:40 a.m.) |
| Evacuated floors | Seven levels above the fire floor |
| Reported injuries | None |
The department has not released a timeline for completing a full investigation. Downtown residents, workers and visitors are advised to monitor local traffic and public safety updates as necessary while investigations and any follow-up safety inspections proceed.
