NORFOLK, Va. -- One firefighter was taken to a hospital and a resident was treated for minor injuries Friday morning from a blaze at a house beside an apartment building in the 700 block of W. Ocean View Ave.
The fire was reported shortly before 5 a.m. and firefighters found heavy smoke and flames when they arrived, said Capt. Mike Hicks, a Norfolk Fire-Rescue spokesman.
All the occupants of the apartments got out of their building safely and the house where the fire was reported was vacant, Hicks said. The house, which had no electricity, was heavily damaged and fire investigators consider the blaze suspicious.
The resident was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to a hospital. The city firefighter taken to a hospital suffered heat exhaustion, according to Hicks. He said he initially was told a Navy firefighter was taken to a hospital, but later learned the firefighter declined the transport.
The apartments were not damaged and did not lose power while firefighters worked on the house blaze, Hicks said. Some residents got out on their own, while others were helped by firefighters. They were allowed back into their apartments shortly before 7 a.m.
The westbound lanes of Ocean View Avenue were blocked from the 500 block to the Interstate 64 ramp from 4th Bay Street. The lanes were expected to be closed for at least two more hours.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Copyright 2012 - The Virginian-Pilot
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
