Home total loss after Chesterfield fire

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) -A Chesterfield home is a total loss after a fire ripped through the structure Thursday evening. Now three people need to find somewhere else to sleep tonight.

Chesterfield Fire and EMS responded to a structure fire in the 8200 block of Nashua Drive around 6:23 p.m. on March 16. Fire crews arrived to find the residence engulfed in flames.

It took crews about 40 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Fire and EMS say the home is a total loss, and the house next door’s exterior was burned from radiant heat.

Two adults and one child were displaced and are being assisted by family.

An investigation revealed that improperly discarded cigarettes caused the fire. Chesterfield Fire and EMS respond to several fires yearly where the fire starts outside the house because lit cigarettes weren’t disposed of properly. They are often discarded in flower pots or mulch around the house.

They say homeowners often think potting soil is dirt, but it is ground-up peat containing wood fibers. Once a cigarette is placed in the pot, it has the potential to start smoldering before it ignites. When conditions are like today, with low humidity and a steady breeze, a fire can ignite much easier.

No injuries were reported.