KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. — Three people died and three others were hurt after a large fire destroyed a home and spread to nearby structures in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina on Friday morning.
The fire happened at a four-bedroom home at 1825 North Virginia Dare Trail that was historically designated in 2011. The call came in around 2:20 a.m. and firefighters got there two minutes later. The home was fully engulfed in flames.
"I started screaming, I was screaming to the top of my lungs," said Andrea Horine, an eyewitness. "The flames kept pouring out of the building, and it was all so quiet for a while."
Horine gave 13News Now an exclusive video of the fire. She said she did not know the family inside but could have waved to them as investigators said the victims were renters.
Their identities weren't shared, but the vehicles in the driveway had Maryland license plates, Kill Devil Hills spokeswoman Rachel Tackett said in a news conference.
She confirmed the people who died were two adults and a teenager, while two adults and a teenager were hurt. She couldn't confirm if the home had smoke detectors but said: "there should have been."
"I would just like to ask that everybody keep those victims' families, friends [and] everyone who was involved in your thoughts and prayers," Tackett said.
The fire is under control, but crews are still there working to clear debris and finish extinguishing any remaining flames. The house is a total loss, according to Tackett.
The homes immediately to the south and north were also damaged by the fire, but no one was hurt. The northern home had minor damage, but the southern home had more extensive damage.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Kill Devil Hills Fire Marshal, Dare County Fire Marshal, and the State Bureau of Investigations. The city closed Virginia Dare Trail from 3rd Street to 5th Street in the meantime.
In addition to Kill Devil Hills Fire and Police responding, fire crews from Southern Shores, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Colington and Nags Head Fire Departments, along with Dare County EMS and the State Bureau of Investigations were also on scene and assisted in the operation.