Started At Rear Of Store These photos on Blackstone Vol. Fire Department’s Facebook page show Spainville Store before units arrived on scene (upper left) and during firefighting operations (upper right). Bottom photos show store’s rear exterior, where, firefighters say, a nearby dumpster caught fire and flames spread to the rear awning and roof.
Blackstone firefighters encountered flames and thick smoke but were able to save Spainville Store last week.
“The building sustained water and smoke damage,” said Blackstone Fire Chief Zac Beares, “but we were able to knock the fire down quickly and save contents and the structure.”
Spainville Store, a popular community hub 10 miles north of Blackstone on Rocky Hill Road (Rt. 153), remains closed. Efforts to obtain a projected re-opening date were unsuccessful at presstime.
Wednesday’s fire was reported at 1:36 p.m. Sheriff Robert Jones said the caller reported that “they weren’t sure what had blown-up and that the back of the store was on fire.”
Beares said that when the first units arrived, firefighters encountered heavy fire from the rear of the building with smoke coming out all sides.
Beares said he was told that the store operator and a worker from a nearby repair shop attempted to use fire extinguishers to knock down the fire but were unsuccessful.
Beares said the blaze likely started in a dumpster behind the building. “It appears the dumpster was the first thing that caught fire, which then led to the awning at the rear of building to also catch fire. That then led to a propane tank catching on fire, venting with flames coming from it and catching the roof on fire.”
Fire by that time had extended well into the store. Volunteers first attacked the rear of the building and extinguished those flames, then entered to front door of the store.
“We experienced high heat and limited visibility as we made our way back to the kitchen,” Beares recalls. “We encountered more fire in the kitchen area, but were able to extinguish that fire and limit damage to the inside of the building.”
Rt. 153 was shutdown between Cedar Hill and Old Shore Roads for a couple of hours — a move that didn’t sit well with at least one County official (see related story).
Units from Blackstone, Crewe, Burkeville, Amelia, and Nottoway Emergency Squad responded to Wednesday’s fire. No one was injured.
Store owners grateful: 11
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