Chief: Firefighter hurt in Bethany house fire
Firefighters battled a blaze in Bethany Beach as flames ripped through the home's roof Tuesday morning, causing $1 million in damages and injuring one firefighter, officials said.
Brian Martin, the fire chief for the Bethany Beach Fire Company, said it took crews about an hour to get the blaze under control and one firefighter had a minor hand injury.
Crews responded to the fire around 10:30 a.m. to the home located on Heron Road in Bethany Beach just north of the intersection of Fred Hudson Road off and Coastal Highway.
Martin said he the cause of the fire was still unknown as of noon on March 14.
"Because of the low ceilings, we knew we had to work fast," he said.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal has taken over the investigation of the four-story wood framed home. While deputies are still investigating the cause of the blaze, damages are estimated at $1 million, according to a press release from Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Harry R. Miller.
Martin said there was only one person hurt, a firefighter. The firefighter was transported to Beebe Medical Center with a minor injury.
As of 3 p.m., the firefighter has been treated for his injuries.
"He is in the process of being brought back home," Martin said.
The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and Martin said he has contacted the owners of the house.
"The house is usually used as a weekend or summer house," said Margaret Foster, a neighbor to the house.
There was a lot of mutual aid to put out the fire, Martin said, with other companies called in to both assist with the fire and to ensure the fire did not spread to any of the surrounding houses, which were less than a block away from the ocean.
The Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company was assisted by Millville, Rehoboth Beach, Roxana, Frankford, Dagsboro, Ocean City fire companies extinguished the blaze.
The fire departments worked until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.