CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia — A contractor hired by Chesterfield County to build a multi-million dollar fire station investigates why the roof collapsed unexpectedly.
Chesterfield Fire and EMS Lt. Kenny Mitchell said the intricate metal roof frame fell at the construction site at Charter Colony Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Oyster Point Construction Company, based in Newport News, is currently investigating why the roofing material fell.
“Construction will continue in the untouched parts of the building,” Mitchell wrote in an email on Friday. “There is no information at this time as to what the setback to completion will be.”
No one was injured.
WTVR photojournalist Chris Jenkins
The $9.3 million project will replace Station 5 across from Midlothian Middle School.
The plans allow for a ladder truck to be housed in the building to improve response times in the area.
By Friday, construction crews had moved the damaged roofing material to an empty spot on the property next to the building under construction.
Rumors quickly spread in Midlothian when a customer walked into Pat Chandler’s swimming pool company Swim World next door, fearing it was her building that had been damaged.
“One of my clients came in this morning, ‘Oh my god Pat, we thought it was you!’ Chandler recalled. “They were afraid that something had collapsed on this building and that the roof was going to give way.”
Chandler offered the workers a gift while investigators worked to find out why the roof collapsed.
“I got them some cookies because they were having a really bad day, and cookies always make me feel better,” she said.
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