NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Six people are displaced following a two-alarm house fire on 54th Street in Newport News Friday evening, according to the Newport News Fire Department.
Crews responded at around 5 p.m. Upon arrival, they found fire visible from the second and third floors. Initially, crews had reports of individuals being trapped and the first arriving units used several hose lines to fight the fire from the inside while looking for potential victims. They transitioned to a defensive posture due to structural issues as a result of the fire, NNFD said.
However, it was later reported that all the residents were able to exit the house uninjured.
The six residents are being assisted by Red Cross, NNPD said.
“Just watching it, like just burn like that is, it really took a part of me, like it hurt. But it was just a sign, it was just a sign. So now I just got to move forward and get better at it,” said Jaqun Reid, one of the six people displaced.
A second alarm was called due to the size of the home and the large volume of fire, NNFD said.
Reid lived on the second floor. He said the fire started in his room. The family said the cause is electrical.
“I ain’t know what to do at the time. So like my downstairs neighbor, I was telling him to call 911 because it was literally a fire. I walked in and took 3 steps and had to come out because it was just crazy,” said Reid.
NNPD cautions people to have working smoke detectors and a home exit plan.