金·奥布赖恩根
Daily Press
（MCT）
A fire swept through Tappahannock’s downtown on Friday, reducing nearly a block of the historic town to ash and rubble, fire officials said.
数十名邻近的消防和救援人员，包括新肯特，威廉国王和金县，对迅速移动的大火做出了回应，该大火在周五上午11:15左右爆发。塔帕汉诺克·埃塞克斯消防局长保罗·理查森（Paul Richardson）说，大火摧毁了王子街200号街区的多个建筑物，估计造成了1000万美元的损失。
More than 100 firefighters from 10-15 different localities assisted in fighting the fire, Richardson said. Police and sheriff’s agencies assisted as well.
他说：“这是一个非常大的行动。”“我已经做了很长时间了，这是我见过的最大火灾之一。”
A fire also wiped out the same block of downtown in 1917, Richardson said.
理查森说，星期五的大火起源于马丁销售家具公司的二楼。当烟雾开始从建筑物中散发出来时，许多员工都在马路对面开会。理查森说，消防人员在几分钟之内就在现场，但是由于里面的内容和100年历史的建筑物的设计，火灾迅速蔓延。
Unable to save the structure, fire crews tried to keep it from spreading. Other nearby buildings, including some vacant homes, were damaged or destroyed, along with businesses including a real estate office, hairdresser and a café, as well as apartments above the businesses.
Firefighters managed to save the town’s oldest building, the Ritchie House, which was built in the 1700s, Richardson said. Several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion, but otherwise no injuries were reported.
To fight the fire, crews drafted water out of the nearby Rappahannock River, about a half block away. New Kent Fire-Rescue was among the departments that heeded the call for mutual aid.
New Kent Fire-Rescue Chief Rick Opett said his department was able to send a ladder truck and a tanker to Tappahannock.
奥佩特说，互助是消防部门每天所做的事情，但补充说，这个特殊的呼吁 - “如此庞大的东西 - 肯定是很少的常规。”
“对于我们周围的人，甚至更遥远的社区，我们得到您的支持，我们再也无法幸福。”Tappahannock Main Street，在Facebook上写。“Today I witnessed fire and rescue join us from Richmond County, Westmoreland, Upper and Lower King and Queen, Middlesex, Frog Level, Fairfields, Hanover, and even more that I’m sure I’m missing but am beyond thankful for them all.”
The cause hasn’t yet been determined, Richardson said. The same furniture building caught fire three years ago, caused by the furnace, but firefighters were able to save it, he said.
尽管消防队员彻夜工作,the next day to make sure all hot spots were out, the town began planning to rebuild. AGoFundMeaccount was quickly set up by Tappahannock Main Street, and by Monday nearly $27,000 had been donated. While business insurance was in place for many properties affected, fund organizers wanted to be able to meet any immediate needs of the affected businesses and employees, Sharpe said.
“I’m confident that this unfortunate situation will not set us back in our revitalization efforts, but propel us forward with this widespread support,” Sharpe wrote. “We’ll continue to strive to grow and support the needs of our citizens and also encourage the visitation of our visitors.”
On Sunday, the Tappahannock Essex fire department hoisted a giant American flag to wave over the rubble.
金·奥布赖恩根,kimberly.root@virginiamedia.com
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