Unchecked: Inside RPS fire inspections
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.
Written by Megan Pauly and Connor Scribner. Photos by Shaban Athuman, Scott Elmquist and Crixell Matthews.
Figures fact-checked by Jonea Gurwitt. Edited by Dave Cantor, Whittney Evans, Dawnthea M. Price Lisco and Elliott Robinson.
Fire code violations by school type
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Shaban Athuman/VPM News“It may have been done, I just don't have the documentation to prove that.” -
Scott Elmquist/VPM NewsA VPM News investigation reveals a history of spotty inspection recordkeeping and long-standing fire code violations.
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Shaban Athuman, Crixell Matthews/VPM NewsVPM News analyzed and summarized fire code violations from 2015–2022 based on public records provided by the Richmond Fire Department.
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Shaban Athuman/VPM NewsJohnson Controls was highlighted in a VPM News investigation following the William Fox Elementary School fire in 2022.
