Spontaneous Combustion in Mulch Blamed for Sussex County, DE, Fire

May 4, 2025
Millville firefighters encountered heavy fire that destroyed one house and damaged two others.

Spontaneous combusion in a pile of mulch is being blamed for a massive fire in Sussex County that destroyed one house and damaged two others.

Millville firefighters encountered heavy fire on the exterior of the house in the Ocean Vew community.

As residents were leaving, they said they noticed a fire in a mulch pile had spread to a tree, WBOC reported.

Delaware fire marshals determined the fire was accidential. 

There were no injuries. 

 

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Susan Nicol | News Editor

Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.