Firefighter sent to hospital, 2 residents displaced following Suffolk house fire in Applewood neighborhood

SUFFOLK, Va. - Suffolk Fire crews responded to a house fire Friday afternoon.

Crews responded after receiving a call from a neighbor at 12:55 p.m., of a fire in the 270 block of Jonathans Way in the Applewood neighborhood.

When officials arrived at the two-story home it was confirmed that there were no occupants or pets inside the home.

According to the preliminary investigation, it was determined that the fire started on the exterior side of the home and then entered the attic space through the knee wall.

The fire escalated to a two-alarm fire when a May Day was called after two firefighters were overcome by heat and were physically assisted out of the home. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital for further medical observation.

Due to Friday's extreme heat conditions and the 50-pound gear firefighters wear, they were rotating in 10-minute shifts during the incident, and the Rehab Bus was also brought to the scene.

The fire was called under control at 2:08 p.m. Two adults have been displaced and are receiving assistance.

Suffolk Police are currently on scene and the area is expected to be closed for an extensive period of time.

Battalion Chief Chris Cornwell, the Suffolk fire marshal, later confirmed that the cause of the fire was the result of carelessly discarded smoking materials. The fire has been ruled as accidental.