Fire crews responded to a structure fire at the Buc-ee’s location in Mount Crawford on just after 9 p.m. on Friday evening.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they discovered smoke billowing from the building. Upon entering to investigate, crews found flames in the storeroom area. The facility’s sprinkler system automatically activated, helping contain the fire and prompting an immediate evacuation of the building.
Chief Jeremy Holloway of the Rockingham County Fire and Rescue explained that the fire originated from lithium batteries on a golf cart used to service the fuel pumps.
“The battery started to smoke, and within a minute or so, the golf cart was engulfed in flames,” Holloway said.
Employees attempted to extinguish the fire using portable fire extinguishers, but the effort was unsuccessful against the rapidly spreading flames.
Holloway credited the building’s sprinkler system with preventing a catastrophe.
“Due to the good working sprinkler system, the fire was contained and held to the storeroom area until the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire,” he said.
After firefighters finished extinguishing the blaze, they placed several large fans inside the building to exhaust the smoke.
According to a Facebook post by the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department fire was completely cleared within two hours and five departments responded to the incident:
- Rockingham County Department of Fire & Rescue
- Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Company
- Bridgewater Volunteer Rescue Squad
- Weyers Cave Volunteer Fire Department
- Grottoes Volunteer Fire Department
No injuries were reported.
Chief Holloway issued an important safety reminder regarding lithium batteries.
“If these batteries heat up, please get them out in the open air immediately because they will ignite and burn rapidly,” Holloway said.
