A home was destroyed in a Thursday afternoon fire in eastern Lee County, prompting a large response from multiple fire departments and emergency agencies.
Officials with the Salem Volunteer Fire Department, Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department, Smiths Station Fire and Rescue, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Emergency Management Agency, and EAMC Emergency Medical Services responded to a home in the 200 block of Lee Road 705 at approximately 4:27 p.m. on Thursday, July 2.
CNAW2News crews were just four miles away when they spotted heavy black smoke billowing into the sky and responded to the scene.
When firefighters arrived, the home was already fully engulfed in flames, according to the Salem Volunteer Fire Department. Drone footage sent to CNAW2News showed smoke and extensive damage, with nearly half of the home destroyed as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.
The homeowners were able to safely escape the fire, along with multiple dogs. However, it remains unknown whether any cats that were believed to be inside the home survived.
A total of 18 firefighters from three departments responded to the fire with eight fire apparatus, battling the blaze for several hours under dangerous weather conditions. At the time of the fire, temperatures reached 98 degrees with humidity exceeding 60 percent, creating hazardous conditions for crews working on scene. CNAW2News observed emergency medical personnel monitoring firefighters throughout the incident due to the extreme heat. One firefighter was treated at the scene for heat-related issues.
Salem Volunteer Fire Department’s Tanker 512 alone delivered approximately 13,000 gallons of water during firefighting operations, while additional tankers supplied thousands more gallons throughout the incident.
Firefighters remained on scene for several hours before extinguishing the fire at approximately 8 p.m.
“We are grateful to our partner agencies for responding and assisting us with this fire,” the Salem Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement.
The cause of the fire has not been released, and no injuries have been reported. The incident remains under investigation.
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