Electrical Fire Closes JCC-W Community Center

By WYDaily Staff Sunday, January 22, 2012

The James City-Williamsburg Community Center will open as usual Monday after a fire Sunday afternoon closed the center.

James City County Fire Chief Tal Luton said firefighters were dispatched by an automatic alarm to the Longhill Road center around 1:26 p.m. Just before arriving the call was updated to a structure fire with reports of smoke in the building.

James City County Parks and Recreation evacuated the building without incident, and firefighters found smoke throughout the building and a fire in the women's locker room. The fire was put out by a combination of the building's sprinkler system, fire extinguishers and firefighters' attack hoses, Luton said.

Fire marshals soon determined the electrical control unit in the women's locker room sauna caused the fire.

There were no reported injuries.

John Carnifax, director of parks and recreation, said in an email that while the center will open at its normal time Monday, the women's locker room will remain closed until that area can be repaired. The family locker room will serve as the women's locker room until that time.