VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — One house is destroyed and another is damaged in Virginia Beach after a fire ignited early Wednesday, fire officials said.
Firefighters were dispatched to Speckled Rock Lane just before 12:50 a.m. When they arrived, they saw smoke and flames coming from both affected houses. Crews determined it was a 2-alarm fire affecting two 2-story homes.
Fire from the first home had quickly spread to the other. No one was home at the first house at the time of the fire.
Gary Hendrick lives next door. The heat from the flames melted the side of his home where he's lived since 1987. Hendrick said in the middle of the night, he woke up to a strange sound that he said sounded like crackling. He said he also noticed an orange glow coming through his window.
"I looked out the window and the house next door was rolling in flames. It was well engulfed at the time," Hendrick said. "This whole part was pretty well engulfed. The flames were standing up a fair amount. I could feel the heat just standing there in the house."
Hendrick said after he noticed the fire, he called 911, got dressed, and went outside.
The fire was marked out at 2:22 a.m. and crews cleared the scene at about 5:50 a.m.
No one is hurt.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Red Cross is assisting those affected.
