Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of a pre-dawn house fire that erupted Sunday morning morning.
At 4:24 a.m., the Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company, along with several mutual aid companies, was dispatched to the 100 block of Autumn Horseshoe in Newark following multiple 911 calls reporting flames visible from a second-floor window.
Upon arrival, fire crews encountered heavy fire showing from a two-story, single-family dwelling. Initial efforts focused on containing the fire and conducting primary and secondary searches of the home. No occupants were found inside the structure. However, two individuals were evaluated on-site by New Castle County Paramedics before being transported by ambulance to Christiana Hospital Emergency Department for further care.
Firefighters declared the fire under control by just after 510 with crews remaining on-site to extinguish hotspots. All fire department personnel and equipment were cleared from the scene by 6:52 a.m., marking the end of a nearly three-hour operation.
The American Red Cross was called in to assist the displaced family, which includes four adults and one child, with emergency sheltering and other support services. Meanwhile, fire investigators from the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office began examining the scene to determine the cause of the fire.