Firefighters in Wilmington responded to a residential fire early Sunday morning after reports of a possible trapped resident.
The incident was dispatched at approximately 4:02 a.m. to the 2000 block of North Harrison Street as a porch fire. Upon arrival, Wilmington Fire Department units encountered a fully engulfed structure, prompting an immediate escalation in operations.
As crews were working the scene, they were met with a downed power line outside the residence, creating an additional hazard as suppression efforts were underway. Firefighters made entry into the home and shut off power while crews continued operating.
Inside, firefighters reported no fire in the basement as they worked to locate the main body of fire. As crews moved through the structure, they reported fire in the kitchen. Searches of the fire floor for victims were conducted and were negative.
Deteriorating conditions led command to order firefighters off the roof due to safety concerns. Shortly before 4:50 a.m., a partial collapse of the structure was reported, which also took a hose line out of service, further complicating operations.
As the incident continued, additional specialized resources were requested. K-9 units were dispatched from Harford County and Annapolis, Maryland, and the NUSAR13 New Castle County Collapse Team was also requested to respond.
Multiple Wilmington Fire Department units remain on scene. The cause of the fire and the status of the initially reported trapped individual have not been released.
This is a developing story.
