Federal, state, and local authorities are investigating a commercial structure fire that occurred at Gregory Pallet and Lumber Company in Stuart, the most recent in a series of significant fires across Patrick County and surrounding areas.
and Lumber Company. (Contributed)
According to Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith, the fire at Gregory Pallet was reported to the 911 Communication Center at approximately 1 a.m. on Friday, March 28. Multiple fire departments from around the region responded to battle the blaze.
The fire destroyed numerous structures, vehicles, and other equipment, burning an estimated 10 acres.
Due to the scale of physical damage and financial loss, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Virginia State Police are assisting the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office in investigating the cause and origin of the fire.
“We are forever grateful for our volunteers, both in our county and throughout the region, for their dedication and selflessness, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Gregory family and their employees,” Smith stated in a Friday afternoon release.
Local departments battle major fires amid heightened fire activity
The Patrick Springs Volunteer Fire Department responded to two significant fires within its district in March and assisted in containing a massive 250+ acre blaze in North Carolina.
South Mayo Drive Fire – March 19
According to Patrick Springs Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Clint Weidhaas, the department responded to a structure fire on South Mayo Drive on Wednesday, March 19, with 13 personnel and three apparatus.
The fire broke out in an abandoned home deep in the woods with limited access and spread to approximately five acres. The structure was a total loss.
Supporting agencies included Moorefield Store, CCDF, Patrick Henry, and Stuart volunteer fire departments, as well as the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDF), which deployed a fire plow.
“We had to quickly pull those hoses back and reengage those spots to knock it out because of the wind,” Weidhaas said, noting it took about 3.5 hours to bring the fire under control.
No Business Mountain Fire – March 21
On Friday, March 21, Patrick Springs responded to a brush fire about 1.5 miles off Abram Penn Highway near the base of No Business Mountain.
Weidhaas said the fire began when a homeowner using a bush hog struck a rock, causing a spark that ignited dry brush. The fire quickly spread to the woods and driven by high winds, began advancing toward No Business Mountain.
Despite limited access and rough terrain, Patrick Springs crews, supported by Moorefield Store, Patrick Henry, and the VDF bulldozer, managed to cut off the head of the fire using an access road.
“There was an access road literally splitting the fire scene right down the middle, and we literally drove the brush truck with fire on both sides through the burned area,” Weidhaas said.
The roughly three-acre fire was contained within 40 minutes.
“These weren’t big fires in the grand scheme of what has been going on around us, but due to the undergrowth, terrain, and limited access, they were exhausting situations,” Weidhaas said.
North Carolina Wildfire Assistance – March 22-23
Patrick Springs, along with Ararat, CCDF, and Stuart volunteer fire departments, assisted with a sprawling 250+ acre fire in Rockingham and Stokes counties in North Carolina.
“We had departments from Rockingham, Guilford, Stokes, Surry, Henry, Patrick, and Forsyth counties responding with personnel and apparatus to help with the fire. Full containment was reached Sunday afternoon. It took over 24 hours to put out,” Weidhaas said.
