Burke Nursery will have to replace a generator, lost in the fire, which provided back-up power for the main building. Photo by Tim Peterson.
In nearly 40 years, there’s never been a fire at the family-owned Burke Nursery and Garden Centre. That is, until last Monday, Sept. 22. Owner Hope Schmid said they received a delivery of dried corn stalks about 11 a.m. that morning. By 3 p.m., the stalks had lit up, along with the large wooden lean in which they were being stored.
“For something like this to happen, timing is never good,” Schmid said. “Especially because we're trying to get ready for the festival.”
The nursery’s “Pumpkin Playground” opens next week and features a variety of games, rides and, of course, pumpkins for children to enjoy.
“We were all working on the fall festival,” said general manager Fred Dickinson, an employee since the nursery opened in 1977. “I was actually headed over to get something and saw the smoke, and at the same time, a driver came in with some sod for a job we were doing.” Dickinson and the driver both dialed 9-1-1 around the same time.
The nursery got a quick response from West Springfield’s engine #27 and Burke’s engine #14.
“By the time I saw it, it seemed like I could hear the sirens,” said Dickinson. “That day was surreal.”
“It was a big response,” Schmid said. “It was just teeming with trucks and firemen. They even brought their food truck; there were so many people here.”
Captain William Moreland, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Fire Department, said the fire was initially dispatched as a “second alarm,” calling for about 50 people. But after responders knocked it down in about 20 minutes, “they didn’t need all those resources.”
The building with the fire stood on the opposite end of the nursery compound from the fall festival. “The whole thing was engulfed in flames before anybody saw it,” said Dickinson.
Fortunately, that also meant everyone was also already at a safe distance from the fire.
“Everyone was really frightened,” said Schmid. “We were just super grateful no one was hurt.”
Firefighters sprayed a finishing foam and made sure everything was stable before leaving.
An independent inspector at the scene told Schmid that aging, decomposing burlap in the lean-to was the cause of the fire. “Burlap is a natural material like mulch is,” said Schmid, “and the way that that steams and can heat up, it generated enough to ignite the corn stalks.”
The lean-to was primarily used to store equipment like a generator, forklift, golf carts and lawn mowers. Fortunately most of those were in use around the fall festival. The fire only destroyed a handful that were still in the structure.
THE NURSERY AND FIREFIGHTERS were also lucky a stiff breeze of 20-25 miles per hour was blowing that day, away from the main nursery building. Schmid said that helped keep the fire in a somewhat contained “L” shape and prevented it from spreading to other buildings.
“It totally surprised me that it burned,” said Schmid’s father Ron DeAngelis, who opened the nursery after first running a roadside flower stand at the corner of Rolling and Old Keene Mill Roads.
Because the fire didn’t affect the majority of the nursery’s merchandise, the staff was able to get back to work once the firefighters had it under control. Dickinson said business only faltered that day due to the road being closed, but things are largely back to normal for the community business.
“I think it's easy nowadays to buy plant material, Halloween or Christmas decorations at a big box store,” said Schmid, “but those people don't necessarily have knowledge and passion for plants like the people who've worked for us.”
“We try to treat people fairly,” added DeAngelis. “Over the years, we have a good rapport with everybody. So there's no reason why we shouldn't be here.”
And thanks to a quick response from the West Springfield and Burke stations, they still are.
Despite the fire, Burke Nursery's Fall Festival and Pumpkin Playground will go forward as planned for the 20th year. The festival runs Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. Hours are 9 a.m .to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9pm Friday and Saturday. Admission on weekdays is $9 per person, weekends $13 per person. Visit www.pumpkinplayground.com.