VIRGIN ISLANDS FIRE SERVICE RESPONDS TO BLAZE AT APARTMENT BUILDING IN ST. JOHN

CRUZ BAY — Fire crews on St. John were dispatched to a reported structure fire in Estate Grunwald on St. John at 9:48 p.m. Sunday.

Six fire personnel and two units assigned to the Cruz Bay Fire Station initially responded to the scene, the Office of the Governor said.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a three-story wooden structure fully engulfed in flames and promptly commenced firefighting operations.

Within 20 minutes, four additional fire personnel from the Coral Bay Fire Station arrived on scene to assist the crews that first arrived.

Firefighters battled the blaze for a little over 14 hours. Enlisting the help of private water haulers, they were able to extinguish the fire using over 60,000 gallons of water and over 1,000 feet of hose.

In total, two tankers, one pumper, and one rescue vehicle were deployed to the scene.

Five firefighters sustained minor injuries. They were treated by Firefighter/EMTs on the scene, and two of the five were transported to the Myrah Keating Smith Clinic where they were examined by a doctor and released.

The structure, a 9-unit apartment complex, sustained significant damage. However, none of the residents reported any injuries.