JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — “Apocalyptic,” “right out of a sci-fi novel,” “really strange.” Those are some of the reactions News 3 viewers had to footage of an underground fire that left part of the parking lot behind the Williamsburg Premium Outlets in ruins.
Two days after the fire started, we have the same question many of our viewers are asking: how did an underground fire start?
WATCH: Drone video shows Williamsburg parking lot in ruins after underground fire
When the fire broke out Saturday morning, the James City County Fire Department said an underground system made of plastic that helps mitigate stormwater runoff is what caught fire. We followed up with them on Monday to see if they learned anything new about what caused the unusual incident.
Fire officials say in order to learn how the stormwater system caught fire, first, they have to let the fire burn out. James City County Fire Chief Ryan Ashe says they’re not extinguishing the fire since they can’t get water in the right areas to put it out.
However, Chief Ashe says since the damage is so severe, they might not ever know for sure what caused the fire.
Watch previous coverage: Smoke increasing from underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets
Although fire crews can’t pinpoint a cause yet, they can explain what led to the parking lot’s destruction. Ashe says the stormwater system’s plastic materials were compromised by the heat, causing the lot to partially collapse.
"The plastic baskets or crates that are used to construct the stormwater facility when those were impinged by heat or flame lost some of their integrity and began to shift resulting in the collapse of the concrete and gravel that makes the area buckle," Chief Ashe explained.
While they wait for the fire to die, fire crews are monitoring the area. Chief Ashe says they’ve noticed a hole in the parking lot has gotten bigger since the fire initially broke out.
“When we arrived on Saturday, there was an initial collapse located in the rear of the parking area. Over the course of the day Saturday and into yesterday, and even more this morning… now we have around 75 to 80 percent of the parking areas collapsed,” Chief Ashe says.
Watch previous coverage: Fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets
The damage and lingering smoke and flames haven’t gone unnoticed by people who live nearby. One neighbor told us she’s worried that she can still see flames two days after the fire started.
However, Chief Ashe says the fire shouldn’t spread beyond the parking lot. He also said although the underground stormwater system isn’t connected to any sanitary sewer systems, Virginia Natural Gas secured a line in the area out of caution.
Fire officials say air tests have come back within normal ranges. They’re advising those with respiratory issues to be mindful of the area, as they expect smoke to linger in the area for the next few days.
