THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 23, 1994 TAG: 9407230179
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
A stubborn fire swept through a salvage yard containing thousands of junked cars Friday morning, keeping firefighters busy throughout the day.
The alarm from the Jacobson Metal Co. came in about 3 a.m. after one section with about 25 cars caught fire. The blaze spread quickly because the cars were stacked in rows, said Greg Orfield, an investigator for the Chesapeake fire marshal's office.
Firefighters had to call in cranes and bulldozers to pull the old autos apart and fight the fire car by car, Orfield said.
Because the yard is on the waterfront, officials summoned the Industrial Marine Service, a private company, to set up anti-pollution booms to catch any petroleum products that had run off into the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.
No injuries were reported in the blaze that sent smoke billowing high over the yard, located on Buell Street in Money Point. Several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion, Orfield said.
The fire was contained in the north end of the yard Friday afternoon. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MARK MITCHELL, Staff
ABOVE: Chesapeake firefighters battle a fast-spreading blaze Friday
at Jacobson Metal Co. on Buell Street in Money Point on the
Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River. Several firefighters were
treated for heat exhaustion.
Color photo by MARTIN GRUBE
RIGHT: The blaze spread quickly because thousands of cars were
stacked in rows at the salvage yard, a fire official said. Cranes
and bulldozers were used to pull the cars apart, and firefighters
fought the blaze car by car. The cause of the early-morning fire is
still under investigation.
KEYWORDS: FIRE by CNB