Firefighters respond to Nags Head house fire

Published 10:12 am Saturday, January 5, 2019

 

Nags Head Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a house fire in the 3500 block of South Memorial Avenue Saturday morning after the occupants were awakened by smoke detectors.

On arrival, firefighters were faced with a three story house almost fully engulfed with flames coming from the second story window and a second alarm was issued calling in additional firefighters.

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“We called a second alarm primarily due to the exposure concerns to the two houses that were so close,” said interim fire chief Shane Hite. “Kill Devil Hills and Colington were on the first call, the second alarm brought in Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Roanoke Island and Manns Harbor.”

Hite said the January 5 fire appeared to start in the rear of the home.

“Renters were sleeping upstairs and heard the smoke alarm,” explained Hite. “They went downstairs to check on it and found smoke in the house. When they saw the fire, they got out as quickly as they could.”

The fire at the three story home was reported near Jockey’s Ridge State Park a little after 6:20 a.m. Saturday morning, with callers reporting seeing flames visible from US 158. One neighbor was said to have stated that the patio was on fire.

Although the home suffered heavy fire damage, all occupants were evacuated safely with no reports of any injuries to citizens or firefighters. A closed bedroom door may have helped limit the spread of the fire.

During firefighting activities police and firefighters closed Hollowell Street until after the fire was brought under control shortly after 7 a.m. and, in spite of high winds, no other nearby structures were damaged.

“We always try to save as much property as we can,” added Hite.

Hite said also that the cause of the fire is still under investigation with help from the Dare County Fire Marshal’s office and additional information will be released as it becomes available, but as of Monday afternoon there was no reason to suspect it was anything other than an accidental fire.

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