Virginia Beach fire sends two people to the hospital

VIRGINIA BEACH

A house fire fueled by propane sent two people to the hospital Monday afternoon, one in critical condition.

A male victim was in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in critical condition and the other was in Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, according to Battalion Chief David Hutcheson of the Virginia Beach Fire Department.

He did not know the second victim's condition or any information about their ages.

The fire happened about 1:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of Indian River Road in the Pungo section of the city.

Firefighters arriving on the scene found the victims outside in the yard, Hutcheson said. He did not know how they got there but said neighbors may have helped.

The cause of the fire was accidental, Hutcheson said, but has not been specified beyond that.

Hutcheson said the 100-year-old, two-story home had propane heat, which helped fuel the blaze. The house is a total loss, he said.

The house contained shotgun ammunition that exploded during the fire, Hutcheson said, but it did not pose a severe danger to firefighters.

There are no fire hydrants in that section of the city, so firefighters had to set up water tankers. Also, the style of construction allowed the fire to spread quickly, Hutcheson said.

An ambulance driver was treated for smoke inhalation at a hospital and released, Hutcheson said.

Jim Washington, (757) 446-2536, jim.washington@pilotonline.com