ROCKINGHAM — A likely electrical fire brought crews from two departments out to a Thursday morning blaze on Curtis Drive.
Fire Chief Harold Isler said they received the call just before 7 a.m. and crews were on the scene within a few minutes.
When they arrived, Isler said there was heavy smoke showing from the attic, where the fire started.
“The homeowner said he heard a loud pop on the left side of the house, started smelling smoke and noticed he had a fire that was up in the attic,” Isler said.
Firefighters cut a ventilation hole in the roof to get a line in to try to suppress the fire.
“The whole attic was engulfed in flames, but it hadn’t vented through by the time we got here, all you could see was the smoke” Isler said. “We didn’t expose the fire till we cut a vent hole in it.”
There were two large holes in the roof — one on the left side near where the fire started, and one near the front door on the other side of the brick home.
After crews got most of the flames suppressed on the front of the house, there was a flare-up in the corner of a back room.
Isler said once that portion of the roof caved in, it piled up on the floor and ignited whatever was in that room.
Crews from Northside Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched for manpower. Isler added that the Ellerbe Fire Department came down to cover the Northside station and then down to the scene to give firefighters some relief.
No one was injured in the fire, according to Isler.
The chief also said that American Red Cross had been called to assist the homeowner who was displaced because of the fire.
Crews were still on scene at 10 a.m. and heavy smoke was still billowing from the house.
