Richmond house fire leaves one dead, firefighter injured

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - An early morning fire in Richmond has left one dead and injured another.

Fire crews responded to a home near the corner of Schutte Avenue and Forest View Drive at about 3:45 a.m.

There were flames shooting from the roof, heavy smoke in the air, and the streets were lined with fire crews working to put out the blaze.

“They found a home with fire coming from in front of the home, units made entry and almost immediately when they made entry, they were able to locate one adult male,” Battalion Chief Robert Maass said.

The 73 year old victim died at the scene. The victim was identified by his younger brother as Roger Wayne Prichard.

Neighbors said the block was shaken by the blaze. They were extremely worried because they knew Prichard was older and had trouble moving around.

Rosario Pacheco, who lives next door, said she called 911 as soon as she saw the flames.

“I had saw the red flames and I actually looked into the window and saw that the glass was breaking and it was fogging up smoke and I guess I kind of just panicked,” Pacheco said.

Fire crews quickly arrived and worked to contain the blaze. One firefighter suffered minor leg injuries after falling through a hole in the floor.

Prichard’s brother said he had spoken to him on the phone the day before and also expressed that he had been concerned about electrical problems in the house.

He said Pritchard had spent about three months in a rehabilitation facility after a fall and had returned home on Christmas Eve.

“I wish I could’ve gotten there in time to be able to help him more. I didn’t really know him that well, but I send all of my prayers and condolences to his family. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Pacheco said.

Maass said investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire and urged residents to keep fire safety top of mind as temperatures drop.

“Your best line of defense is a working smoke detector and trying to prevent those things like overloaded outlets and extension cords and space heaters close to furniture and flammable objects,” Maass said.

Richmond fire officials are still working to determine what started the fire.