Unchecked: Following the William F. Fox Elementary School fire in February 2022, VPM News obtained and analyzed all available fire inspection records for Richmond’s public schools from 2015–2022.
Documentation revealed hundreds of fire code violations and a checkered history when it came to consistent inspections and resolution of fire safety problems — a concerning trend that predates the COVID-19 pandemic.
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VPM News has summarized inspection records of Richmond Public Schools over the past eight years provided by the Richmond Fire Department through public records requests. The list is a snapshot of fire code violations RFD found at public schools throughout the city from 2015–2022. It does not represent a comprehensive list of all fire code violations over this time period — as multiple schools were missing years’ worth of inspection records in records RFD shared with VPM News, as we’ve reported.
For records that VPM News did receive from RFD, reporters independently logged more than 500 fire code violations into a spreadsheet for analysis. These school-based summaries do not include every violation from the database VPM News reporters created.
Annual fire inspections are required at all public schools in Virginia, per state law. RFD told VPM News they’re now classifying schools as “high-risk” for fires; the designation requires annual inspection, according to the department’s own 2022 policy update – which was added following a 2021 audit by the city.
Frequently over the last several years, the same citations appear across multiple years’ records, meaning the problems either weren’t addressed by Richmond Public Schools and/or its third-party contractors, or the issue re-occurred. All quotes are directly from RFD officials’ reports, when included.
Also: Richmond schools closed in March 2020 and went virtual for the remainder of spring 2020 and the entire 2020–2021 academic year due to COVID-19. They reopened for in-person instruction in fall 2021. All Richmond Public Schools were inspected for fire code violations in 2022 following the William F. Fox Elementary School fire.
Fire code violations by school type
Preschools
J.H. Blackwell Preschool — 238 E. 14th St.
2020: Past-due fire alarm inspection (last fire alarm inspection dated 2016); emergency exit lights did not illuminate when tested; missing evacuation routes from each room to the nearest exit; expired fire extinguisher (dated 2015) in the boiler room.
2022: Fire extinguisher missing from boiler room (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Martin Luther King Jr. Preschool — 900 Mosby St.
2020: Outdated fire extinguishers (dated 2017), violation noted they should be inspected annually by a third-party company
2022: Storage blocking an electrical panel (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Mary Scott — 4011 Moss Side Ave.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2016: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2022: “Smoke detectors hanging by wires” electrical hazard; two fire extinguishers that needed to be inspected (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Maymont — 1211 S. Allen Ave.
2020: Missing current fire alarm inspection report; multiple exit signs with blown-out bulbs
2022: No violations found
Summer Hill — 2717 Alexander Ave.
2017: Multiple fire extinguishers in need of servicing.
2020: Several fire extinguishers in need of inspection; missing ceiling tiles
2022: Broken outlet cover (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Elementary schools
Barack Obama (formerly J.E.B. Stuart Elementary) — 3101 Fendall Ave.
2016: New exit signs needed throughout the building (violation first noted in 2014); blocked exit in school’s media center (violation first noted in 2014); expired fire extinguisher in the copy room (dated December 2014)
2018: Four non-working exit signs; alarm panels “showing the alarm is down (not working)”; missing ABC dry chemical fire extinguishers in kitchen
2019: Four non-working exit signs; alarm panels “showing the alarm is down (not working)”; missing ABC dry chemical fire extinguishers in kitchen (the 2019 inspection notes the violation was corrected on the re-inspection date, but it's not clear when that re-inspection occurred.)
2022: Missing ABC dry chemical fire extinguishers in kitchen, broken ceiling tiles in first-floor elevator; missing ceiling tiles throughout school’s basement (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Bellevue — 2301 E Grace St.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report; some or all exit signs in need of replacement
2017: Some or all exit signs in need of replacement
2021: Missing fire alarm inspection report; some or all exit signs in need of replacement
2022: No violations found
Broad Rock — 4615 Ferguson Lane
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; missing sprinkler system test; missing class K fire extinguisher test (dated 2018)
2022: Missing ceiling tiles (no violations on follow-up inspection)
ESH Greene and Cardinal — 1745 Catalina Dr.
2016: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2019: 2 alarms showing “trouble” signals
Note: The new Cardinal school building opened for the fall 2021 school year, although the 2020 inspection was done in the new building.
2020: No violations found
2021: No violations found
2022: No violations found
Chimborazo — 3000 E. Marshall St.
2016: Missing ceiling tiles; missing fire extinguisher in the mechanical room
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple fire extinguishers in need of inspection
2022: Trailer exit light burned out; several unmounted fire extinguishers (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Elizabeth D. Redd — 5601 Jahnke Road
2016: “Old and malfunctioning” exit signs in need of replacement throughout the entire school
2017: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2019: “All exit signs without bulbs (throughout facility)”; multiple alarms in “trouble” mode; missing evacuation routes from individual rooms to the nearest exits
2020: Multiple alarms in “trouble” mode; missing evacuation routes from individual rooms to the nearest exits
2022: No violations found
Fairfield Court — 2510 Phaup St.
2018: Missing fire alarm inspection report; sprinkler system in need of inspection (last dated February 2014); non-illuminating trailer emergency exit lights; improper storage of materials in an electrical room
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; cafeteria exit lights do not illuminate; two separate citations for alarm pull stations in need of inspection
2022: No violations found
G.H. Reid — 1301 Whitehead Road
2017: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2020: No violations found
2022: No violations found
George W. Carver — 1110 W. Leigh St.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report; several exit lights not illuminating
2016: Missing fire alarm inspection report; several exit lights not illuminating; exit obstructions — “all doors should be unchained when the building is occupied at all times.”
2018: Missing fire alarm inspection report; several exit lights not illuminating; hard to operate “several double doors” in case of emergency
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2022: No violations found
George Mason and Henry L. Marsh III — 813 N. 28th St.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report; several fire extinguishers in need of inspection (also both 2014 violations)
2017: Several fire extinguishers in need of inspection
Note: The new Henry L. Marsh school building opened for the fall 2021 school year.
2022: No violations found
Ginter Park — 3817 Chamberlayne Ave.
2015: Multiple fire extinguishers in need of replacement
2018: Multiple fire extinguishers in need of replacement
2022: Chairs and boxes improperly stored in the school’s boiler room (a follow-up inspection found no violations)
J.B. Fisher — 3701 Garden Road
2017: Several ceiling tiles in need of replacement
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; exit lights are not illuminating; exit door is improperly blocked
2022: Several ceiling tiles in need of replacement; items stored on electrical panel; 2 doors wouldn’t latch (no violations on follow-up inspection)
J.H. Blackwell Elementary — 300 E. 15th St.
2016: Some missing ceiling tiles.
2017: Some missing ceiling tiles; expired fire extinguishers
2020: Past-due fire alarm inspection (last dated 2016); some expired fire extinguishers (dated 2015)
2022: Three doors didn’t close (no violations on follow-up inspection)
J.L. Francis — 5146 Snead Road
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report.
2022: Exit door in need of repair (no violations on follow-up inspection))
John B. Cary — 3021 Maplewood Ave.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report — fire watch ordered by RFD
2020: Some exit lights not illuminating
2022: Several exit lights not illuminating (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Linwood Holton — 1600 W. Laburnum Ave.
2019: Missing evacuation routes from each room to nearest exits; combustible storage in electrical room in need of removal
2022: Missing evacuation routes from each room to nearest exits; combustible storage in electrical room in need of removal (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Mary Munford — 211 Westmoreland St.
2015: Improperly blocked exit in auditorium
2017: Improperly blocked exit in auditorium
2020: Missing evacuation route diagrams from each room to nearest exits
2022: Multiple exit lights unlit; damaged ceiling tiles; three electrical hazard violations (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Miles Jones — 200 Beaufont Hills Dr.
2016: Several ceiling tiles in need of replacement
2017: Missing fire alarm inspection report; several ceiling tiles in need of replacement
2018: Several ceiling tiles in need of replacement2020: Several ceiling tiles in need of replacement (no violations on follow-up inspection)
2022: No violations found
Oak Grove-Bellemeade — 2409 Webber Ave.
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report.
2022: Problems with operation of select exit doors (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Overby-Sheppard — 2300 1st Ave.
2016: Combustible materials — and custodians — needed to be removed from the boiler room. RFD threatened legal action if not immediately addressed, but did not follow through.
2018: Four expired fire extinguishers; certain exit lights in need of repair or replacement
2019: Four expired fire extinguishers.
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; certain exit lights in need of repair or replacement
2022: Certain exit lights in need of repair or replacement (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Southampton — 3333 Cheverly Road
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; combustible materials in boiler room in need of removal; combustible materials near electrical panel boxes in need of removal
2022: Alarm panel showing fault code (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Swansboro — 3160 Midlothian Turnpike
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2016: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2017: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2018: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; most exit lights did not illuminate when tested; two separate citations for out-of-date fire extinguishers on May 4 and Sept. 22
2022: A couple of exit lights didn’t illuminate (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Westover Hills — 1211 Jahnke Road
2016: Illumination failure of certain exit lights
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; illumination failure of certain exit lights
2022: Illumination failure of certain exit lights; missing evacuation routes from each room to the nearest exits (no violations on follow-up inspection)
William F. Fox — 2300 Hanover Ave.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2019: Failure of certain exit lights to illuminate
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple fire alarms showing “trouble” mode
2021: Missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple fire alarms showing “trouble” mode; failure of certain exit lights to illuminate
A three-alarm fire occurred at William F. Fox Elementary on Feb. 11, 2022.
Woodville — 2000 N. 28th St.
2015: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2016: Missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple ceiling tiles in need of replacement
2017: Multiple ceiling tiles in need of replacement; fire extinguisher in need of replacement
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2022: Fire extinguisher in need of inspection
Middle schools
Albert Hill — 3400 Patterson Ave.
2015–2019: There is no record that this school was inspected
2020: Gym equipment improperly blocking rear exit stairs; six unlit exit signs; two expired fire extinguishers
2022: Improper storage of grill with propane tank in a hallway; illumination failure on emergency lights (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Binford Middle — 1701 Floyd Ave.
2015: Issues with multiple emergency lights
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report
2022: Auditorium entrance is improperly blocked; exposed wires on a light fixture; a door is cited as being too difficult to open (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Thomas C. Boushall — 3400 Hopkins Ave.
2015–2019: There is no record that this school was inspected
2020: Extension cords improperly used in place of permanent wiring; multiple unlit exit signs; missing ceiling tiles throughout the building
2022: Extension cords improperly used in place of permanent wiring; multiple expired fire extinguishers (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Thomas H. Henderson — 4319 Old Brook Road
2017: Self-closing doors are being improperly propped open
2020: Fire alarm system in “trouble” mode, multiple unlit exit signs; multiple missing ceiling tiles
2022: Two exits improperly blocked; multiple expired or out-of-order fire extinguishers; multiple missing ceiling tiles (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Lucille M. Brown — 6300 Jahnke Road
2015: Exit in library improperly blocked; compressed gas cylinder improperly stored in building; multiple missing ceiling tiles
2017: Missing fire alarm inspection report; alarm strobe hanging off wall; broken water fountain sitting on the floor
2019: Alarm system panel issues, reading “power supply or internal power” (corrected within two days of citation)
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; combustible material improperly stored in front of mechanical room’s electrical panel; multiple missing ceiling tiles
2022: Exit door locked; multiple electrical outlets missing covers or in need of repair; debris under the bleachers (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle — 1000 Mosby St.
2015: Building keys are not accessible enough
2020: Fire alarm system in “trouble” mode; missing fire alarm inspection report; clothes improperly stored near dryer
2022: Fire alarm system in “trouble” mode in April; multiple issues with fire extinguishers and a surge protector improperly connected to an extension cord in September (no violations on follow-up inspection)
River City — 6300 Hull Street Road
Formerly Elkhardt-Thompson — 7825 Forest Hill Ave.
Note: In February 2015, Elkhardt Middle’s former building closed due to mold issues. Elkhardt students went to school at the former Clark Springs Elementary building from February–June 2015. In September 2015, Elkhardt merged with Thompson Middle at 7825 Forest Hill Ave.
2017: Multiple instances of exposed wiring; unmounted wall outlet; fire extinguishers improperly kept on floor
Note: Elkhardt-Thompson was replaced by the newly constructed River City Middle at the Hull Street Road address in September 2020.
2022: Fire extinguisher without inspection; multiple missing ceiling tiles (no violations on follow-up inspection)
High schools
Armstrong — 2300 Cool Lane
2019: Missing fire alarm inspection report; three blocked exits; multiple used fire extinguishers
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; three blocked exits; multiple used fire extinguishers
2022: Two obstructed exits; vents missing from kitchen hood system; excess debris in electrical room (no violations on second follow-up inspection)
George Wythe — 4314 Crutchfield St.
2020: Fire alarm system in need of inspection; multiple fire extinguishers in need of inspection
2021: Multiple exit signs in need of replacement; ceiling tiles missing in three rooms; two holes present in girls’ locker room exit door
2022: Fire alarm in “trouble” mode; missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple missing ceiling tiles (no violations on second follow-up inspection)
Huguenot — 7945 Forest Hill Ave.
Note: A new Huguenot High building opened in January 2015.
2017: Two fire extinguishers in need of inspection; water leaking from ceiling; three missing ceiling tiles
2018: Two fire extinguishers in need of inspection; water leaking from ceiling; three missing ceiling tiles
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; need to schedule fire drill
2022: Improper use of extension cords, surge protectors and multi-plug adapters; multiple unlit exit signs; various broken and missing ceiling tiles (no violations on second follow-up inspection)
John Marshall — 4225 Old Brook Road
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; holes in cafeteria walls; multiple missing ceiling tiles
2021: Holes in cafeteria walls; multiple missing ceiling tiles
2022: Three blocked exits; eight used or expired fire extinguishers on site; multiple missing ceiling tiles (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Note: John Marshall High also contains the Richmond Career Education and Employment Academy.
Open — 600 S. Pine St.
2015: Extension cords improperly used in place of permanent wiring; blocked fire extinguisher; broken light fixture
2020: Combustible material improperly stored in the boiler/mechanical room; multiple fire extinguishers in need of inspection; basement emergency lights aren’t functioning
2021: Combustible material improperly stored in the boiler/mechanical room; multiple fire extinguishers in need of inspection; basement emergency lights aren’t functioning
Richmond Community — 201 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
2016: Elevator key is missing
2017: Vent hood in need of cleaning; handrail partially missing
2022: No violations found
Thomas Jefferson — 4100 W. Grace St.
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report (dated 2016); two unlit exit signs; missing ceiling tiles in boys’ locker room
2021: No violations found
2022: Missing fire alarm inspection report; missing ceiling tiles in boys’ locker room (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Specialty schools
Amelia Street School — 1821 Amelia St.
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report — last one is dated August 2016.
2022: No violations found
Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts — 3411 Semmes Ave.
2022: Missing evacuation routes from each room to the nearest exits; multiple exit lights in need of repair or replacement (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Franklin Military Academy — 701 N. 37th St.
2015: Address not legible from street; multiple fire extinguishers in need of maintenance or replacement
2020: Missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple fire extinguishers in need of inspection
2022: Missing evacuation plan; multiple emergency exit light failures; improper use of extension cords in place of permanent wiring; five fire extinguishers in need of maintenance; multiple missing ceiling tiles; multiple missing receptacle covers (VPM News did not have a record confirming violations were fixed, though RPS officials claim all have been addressed districtwide)
Richmond Alternative School — 119 W. Leigh St.
2020: Fire alarm in “trouble” mode; missing fire alarm inspection report; multiple emergency exit light failures
2022: Junction box is open; exposed outlet wiring; surge protectors improperly plugged into other surge protectors (no violations on follow-up inspection)
Richmond Technical Center — 2020 Westwood Ave.
2016: Fire alarm in “trouble” mode; contaminated soil near school’s oil tank
2022: No violations found
Note: The Richmond Technical Center is located next to the Richmond Adult Technical Center.
Richmond Adult Technical Center — 2015 Seddon Way
2016: Key to elevator doors not on site
2020: Active alarm, maintenance staff unable to reset; unlit exit lights in first-floor stairwell; excess trash outside of school; oily rags improperly stored in elevator machine room; multiple expired fire extinguishers
Note: The Richmond Adult Technical Center is located next to the Richmond Technical Center.
Virgie Binford Education Center — 1700 Oliver Hill Way
2015: No violations were found
2016: No violations were found
2017: Two unlit exit lights; circuit missing from breaker box; cover missing from junction box; kitchen hood in need of inspection (all violations were corrected within three weeks)
2018: No violations were found
2019: No violations were found
2020: No violations were found
2022: No violations were found
Note: The Virgie Binford Education Center is a Richmond Public Schools–operated facility located inside Richmond Juvenile Detention.
Disclosure: VPM has an active contract with Johnson Controls for intrusion detection alarms, and it previously contracted with Richmond Alarm Co. for those alarms. VPM previously contracted with Tyco SimplexGrinnell — which was acquired by Johnson Controls in 2016 — for fire alarms.