Fredericksburg Warehouse Catches Fire Again, Months After Industrial Shredder Blaze

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Firefighters responded to a commercial building fire Tuesday on Harkness Boulevard in Fredericksburg, the same location where an industrial shredder caught fire earlier this year, according to the Fredericksburg Fire Department.

Fredericksburg firefighters, assisted by crews from Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, extinguished Tuesday's fire. No injuries were reported, but the building required extensive ventilation before it could be safely occupied, according to the department.

The department confirmed in a response to a question on Facebook that another fire occurred at the same location earlier this year. Patch reported in June that firefighters responded to a warehouse fire in the 10-block of Harkness Boulevard, where flames were contained to a large industrial shredder.

Second Fire At Same Location In Less Than Five Months

During the earlier incident, firefighters responded to the warehouse around 12:30 p.m. in June after receiving reports of a fire inside the building.

Arriving crews observed smoke coming from the roof and deployed multiple hose lines to extinguish the blaze. The building's sprinkler system activated and helped contain the fire, according to the fire department.

RELATED: Fire At Fredericksburg Warehouse Contained To Industrial Shredder: Officials

An investigation by the Fredericksburg Fire Marshal's Office determined that the fire originated inside a large industrial shredder that was operating at the time. The cause of that fire was undetermined.

The June incident also required extensive ventilation because of significant smoke conditions inside the warehouse.

Firefighters from Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties responded, along with the Charles County, Maryland, Tenth District Volunteer Fire Department's Airboat 8. The airboat was used to ventilate the large building while minimizing additional damage.

No injuries were reported in that incident.

Prince William County Sends Specialized Ventilation Unit

Following Tuesday's fire, Prince William County Fire and Rescue sent its Mobile Ventilation Unit 512 and personnel to assist Fredericksburg firefighters with removing smoke from the commercial building.

The specialized equipment allowed firefighters to make the structure safe to occupy without causing extensive additional damage, according to the Fredericksburg Fire Department.

Stafford County Fire and Rescue and Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management also provided crews to staff Fredericksburg fire stations while city firefighters remained at the scene.

Fire officials initially warned that crews would remain at the location for an extended period and asked the public to avoid the area.

The fire department has not disclosed the cause of Tuesday's fire, the extent of any damage or whether the latest incident involved the same industrial shredder that caught fire in June.

It also has not said whether the two fires are connected.

Patch has reached out to the fire department for more details. This story will be updated once that information is received.