By Mary Beth Cleavelin
The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The first call came in at 6:01 p.m. Friday.
The caller said smoke and fire were visible from a house at 1340 Thamesford Drive. By the time firefighters arrived near the intersection of Lynnhaven Parkway and Indian River Road five minutes later, the two-story home was fully engulfed.
Four people were still inside.
Crews tried to get into the house and break down the blaze. It licked at their heels.
They hoisted a ladder to a second-story window to rescue two people. Later, a pair of feet covered in black socks stuck out from under the white sheet as firefighters doused the house with water. That person had been pulled out, and resuscitation efforts were not successful, said District Chief Mike Barakey, a spokesman for the Fire Department.
Another was found dead inside the same upstairs room. As of Saturday afternoon, fire officials still could not confirm the identity of the victims.
Two other people were home, and one was transported to the hospital in critical condition for burns, Barakey said. The other person declined medical treatment.
Two firefighters who initially entered the house were treated for first- and second-degree burns to their legs at a hospital. They were later released.
It was 47 minutes before the fire was under control.
The fire was determined to be accidental. It originated on the first floor, in the area of the fireplace, fire officials said Saturday.
Virginia Beach police and homicide detectives are helping investigate because the fire involved fatalities, Barakey said.
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(c)2014 The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.)
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