BLACKSBURG, Va. – A fire broke out at the Foxridge apartment complex near Virginia Tech around 10 p.m. Monday night, impacting 12 units in a 24-unit building, according to the Solomon Organization.
Everyone evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported. However, residents displaced by the fire are now facing uncertainty about what comes next.
Fatma, a Foxridge resident, recalled the sudden alarm. “We were just sleeping, and I heard a loud knock on the door, just ‘Get out’ ‘Get out.’”
Yashu Gurazada, a Virginia Tech graduate student and Foxridge resident, described the scene. “It was huge, I saw the scale of it. It was surreal, like that moment is still playing in my head and I think this is a memory that is just gonna last.”
Yashu was at home when the fire started. She heard people shouting and initially thought they were celebrating, until she heard banging on the door. “Then I step out and the moment I step out they start screaming fire, fire.”
She only had time to grab her phone and does not know when she will be able to return. “As international students we need our passports and all of the important stuff,” Yashu said.
Virginia Tech officials report that about 65 people were displaced by the fire, including 38 students.
The Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department said the investigation could take a couple of days, delaying cleanup and residents’ access to their belongings.
Yashu expressed concern about her belongings and upcoming exams. “My laptop is in there and I have an exam this week and I’m like I don’t know what to do.”
When asked what she was able to grab before leaving, she replied, “my phone, jacket, pjs, and me.”
Residents are anxiously waiting for updates on what comes next.
Fatma shared her worries, saying, “I’m feeling so worried you know just for my kids.”
Yashu added, “Us students, we need support right now more than anything.”
The fire investigation is ongoing. For now, displaced residents are staying at a nearby motel as they wait for further information.