A two-alarm blaze sweeps through an historic Ghent home killing two people and injuring two others. The fire broke out around 7:15 Saturday night on Pembroke Avenue at Mowbray Arch. The house overlooks the Hague.
Norman and Tryntje Willcox, who owned the house, died in the fire. Their son, who was staying with them, escaped after firefighters rescued him from an upper story window.
Fire investigators say the fire was caused by unattended food left cooking on a stove.
"At first I only saw smoke coming from the third floor dorm room, but then within short time three or four minutes I saw a lot of flames coming from the east side of the house," said Mallory Read, a neighbor.
Firefighters said putting out the blaze was difficult.
"Challenge here is the square footage. They're all very large houses and they are balloon construction which means there's no stops from the basement to the attic," said Battalion Chief Bruce Evans.
"One was found on the first floor in the rear of the house and other was found on a landing on the third floor in the rear of the house," Evans said.
The Willcoxs are well know throughout Norfolk. The philanthropists have donated lots of money to the local arts, including the Chrysler Museum.
Republished with permission of WTKR-TV
