Early Tuesday morning, just before 5:20, firefighters from across northern New Castle County responded to a reported structure fire on the unit block of E. 39th Street.
Upon arrival, crews encountered fire showing from the residence and quickly established Brandywine Command to coordinate the attack. Firefighters entered the home, simultaneously working to extinguish the flames and conduct a search for potential victims.
As crews worked, the interior, they discovered significant structural damage, including holes in the first-floor and second-floor flooring. These hazards prompted Brandywine Command to issue safety warnings to all personnel on the scene.
Despite their efforts, the deteriorating conditions forced firefighters to retreat from the interior. Shortly after, Brandywine Command shifted to a defensive strategy, initiating an exterior attack on the fire.
At around 5:40, a second alarm was struck, summoning additional resources to the scene. Accountability checks confirmed that all firefighters had safely exited the structure. Delmarva Power was also dispatched to secure power to the home.
By approximately 6:40, Brandywine Command declared the incident under control. Crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots and monitor the structure.
No victims were found inside the home, and no injuries to firefighters were reported.
Firefighters continue to work at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.