LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Fire Department was busy on Tuesday, with three fires taking place in the area over the course of a day.
The first fire occurred at an upstairs apartment in the 2200 block of Memorial Avenue early Tuesday morning and one person was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
Authorities believe that unattended cooking items on the stove were the cause of that fire.
Hours later, at about 9:30 p.m., crews were called to the 400 block of Stafford Street, not far from the University of Lynchburg, for the report of a bedroom that had caught fire.
Crews were able to bring the fire under control within 20 minutes after finding smoke and fire in the back bedroom. We’re told the homeowner was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Authorities could not determine the exact cause of the fire due to crowded conditions in the house but have ruled it to be accidental. The fire department says fire, water and smoke left the home heavily damaged.
Shortly after, at about 10:30 p.m., crews were called to yet another fire in the 1000 block of Coronado Lane, which is just five minutes away from the one on Stafford Street.
After arriving at the scene, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the single-story ranch style home and said the six people who were inside the home were already outside upon their arrival.
Authorities say the fire started in the basement and took roughly an hour to extinguish due to crowded conditions inside the home, which was also heavily damaged.
The cause has been ruled accidental, but similar to the previous fire, authorities were unable to provide an exact cause due to the conditions of the home.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in that fire.