RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — First National Apartment complex residents are still recovering from a basement fire that broke out at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, during its annual fire safety system testing.
Residents had to stay in hotels, but were reimbursed by Gates Hudson, the management company for First National Apartments. On Friday, Sept. 4, three days after the fire, residents were able to reenter their units.
Matt Cabaniss, the Vice President of Marketing for Gates Hudson, told 8News on Wednesday, Sept. 2 that he hoped residents would be able to regain access to their apartments on that night. He said that it had to be postponed due to “extensive damage” that was “extraordinarily difficult” to repair.
‘I’m wearing the same exact socks, underwear’: 50 residents remain without access to apartments after fire
Cabaniss added that the biggest issue was fixing the water for the 159-unit, 18-story building, but once the water was fixed, residents could come back in…