SURF CITY, N.C. (WNCN) — A massive house fire at the North Carolina coast destroyed one island home, damaged four others, and sent thick black smoke into the sky Saturday afternoon, according to the town of Surf City.
The blaze was reported around 5:30 p.m. in the north end of Surf City, which is located about midway on Topsail Island, with North Topsail Beach to the north and Topsail Beach in the far south.
Several photos and video clips were posted on social media showing the blaze with intense flames and a huge column of smoke. Surf City officials later said one home was destroyed, two others received “significant damage,” while two more houses had minor damage.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries during the incident and were being evaluated Saturday night, officials said.
One witness, Marc Turner, said intense flames destroyed a home at 1715 North Shore Drive.
Two adjacent houses were damaged after the fire broke out about a block away from the Trailer Bar and Tortuga’s Nest. The fire quickly destroyed one home — an 11-minute video starts with a roaring fire, and the house is later in ruins as the video ends.
The fire and smoke from the massive blaze were visible for several miles on the clear Saturday. Residents in Camp Lejeune, adjacent to Jacksonville, noted that they saw the smoke.
Turner, who recorded video of the blaze, told CBS 17 that a man and his dog were in the home, escaped and were not injured. The other damaged homes were not occupied at the time, Turner said.
Surf City officials confirmed no residents were injured in the fire.
The fire broke out at a Surf City home just inside Onslow County that faces the ocean and would be on the beach except for a small road — North Shore Drive — in front of the house.
In addition to Surf City Fire Department, the Topsail Beach Fire Department, the North Topsail Beach Fire Department, Pender EMS and Fire, and Surf City Police assisted during the incident.
Rodney Overton
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