Dec. 26--One person was injured and at least a dozen residents displaced in five fires reported across the Charlotte region on Christmas day.
The blazes were reported in Mecklenburg, Union and Lincoln counties.
The largest number of firefighters called to a blaze was in eastern Lincoln County, where a house was heavily damaged by a fire that started about 9 p.m. That blaze was on Ivey Meadow Lane, near Stanley.
About 50 firefighters needed 30 minutes to subdue the fire, which officials say apparently started in a chimney. A family of seven was left looking for shelter in that blaze.
Crews from the East Lincoln, Alexis, Denver, Lucia and Huntersville fire departments battled that blaze.
The injury came in a Union County fire, reported about 8:30 a.m. on Sikes Mill Road. That is about 6 miles north of Monroe.
A man living in the home suffered burns on his right leg and was hospitalized. Authorities say crews from the Unionville, New Salem, Monroe and Fairview fire departments battled the blaze.
The first of three Charlotte fires was reported about 5 a.m. at an abandoned house on Choyce Avenue in southwest Charlotte.
Then about 7 p.m., crews were called to battle a blaze on Honeywood Avenue in northwest Charlotte. Four residents and two pets were displaced in that fire. A crew of 21 needed about 15 minutes to bring the fire under control.
The last of the fires was reported about 11 p.m. at a home in the 6600 block of Old Plank Road. Heavy damage was reported to the residence, but a crew of 23 firefighters was able to bring the blaze under control in about 20 minutes.
Copyright 2013 - The Charlotte Observer
