BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - The fire that destroyed an off-campus Virginia Tech lab was caused by an electrical malfunction in the Virginia Tech FutureHAUS, according to the Blacksburg Fire Department.
Crews responded to the fire on February 12 at 8:52 p.m. at 4076 Prices Fork Road.
The building was used to store and display the Virginia Tech FutureHAUS. It was also used as a wood working and metal fabricating shop with many years of miscellaneous storage.
Fire investigation was completed on Thursday and was determined to be caused by an electrical malfunction under the living room module of the FutureHAUS. Wiring between the breaker panel, located on the back of the module, and an automatic door was accidentally mashed under the module frame starting a fire under the module. The module walls were constructed with Styrofoam between ½ inch oriented strand boards causing the fire to spread rapidly.
The building and contents were a total loss with estimates in excess of $1 million.
The fire was extinguished in about an hour and a half. Fire crews stayed on scene all night due to hot spots and extreme wind conditions.