Fire destroys former foundry in Virginia

A fire that tore through the former Staver Foundry in Virginia on Sunday has left the facility “a total loss” and is still under investigation, fire officials said Monday.
The fire at the foundry, at 110th Street South, was reported at 2:41 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters from 12 departments helped battle the blaze. The last units did not clear the scene until
11:30 p.m. The foundry closed in December 2006 due to bankruptcy, but had once been a staple of Virginia’s economy for decades. Over the years it produced steam locomotive parts and machinery for railroads, paper mills and the mining industry.
“The building will be a total loss,” Virginia Interim Fire Marshal Chris Clark said Monday. “It was pretty significant damage.”
The building was unoccupied.