OUTER BANKS, N.C. — A person was medflighted to Norfolk General Hospital after they were injured in an Outer Banks home explosion Friday afternoon, according to the Dare County Fire Marshal's Office.
Dare County EMS treated the person injured before Dare MedFlight flew them to the hospital, the fire marshal's office shared. No one else was injured.
Dare County Emergency Management said the home explosion happened on Dogwood Trail in Manteo.
Crews across the Outer Banks were called to assist the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department's Station 17. The Colington Fire Department said their crews responded to a call for a home explosion, and when they arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames.
The fire marshal's office said that crews contained the fire within an hour, but remained on the scene until around 9 p.m. to work on hot spots.
Three vehicles and one boat were destroyed in the fire, and another home sustained minor damage, the fire marshal's office said.
The incident is under investigation by the Dare County Fire Marshal’s Office and Sheriff’s Office, with help from the North Carolina SBI and Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Gutshall, like many neighbors, was startled by what we now know was a house explosion. A sobering scene with the house and cars completely destroyed, glass on the ground and debris all over.
“Our house rattled. I thought it was an earthquake. Never in my life, seen anything like that," said Jordan Gutshall, who lives right across the street.
“We went out our back door, and we made the turn, we saw the big billowing cloud of smoke. I said, 'Oh my gosh, everyone get back,'" said Gutshall.
At this time, it’s not clear how many people might have been at the house when it happened. But we do know that one person was medflighted, our news gathering partner, the Outer Banks Voice, reporting that it was due to severe burns.
“My thoughts and prayers go to him. I hope he's okay," said Gutshall.
It was a multi-agency response from at least five fire departments in Dare County, along with Dare County EMS on scene.
Watch: Crews continue attacking multi-alarm fire at Outer Banks home
While it was going on, neighbors stepped up to help out any way they could.
“They said, ‘Where are the fire hydrants?’ I knew immediately, from many walks, that there was two located very close by. I had him (Her son Beau) going around, giving out waters and going around saying, 'Are you okay? Do you need anything?' That just shows how loving and cherishing this community is," said Gutshall.
It's the same support that Gutshall says they’ll make sure they give to the homeowner, who many say is a beloved member of the community.
“He's such a staple in this community that we will do whatever we can to help him in any way.”
It's unclear when the fire broke out, but the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department tells News 3 that their crews were dispatched for the second alarm at 3:31 p.m. We’ll continue to update our viewers when more details are released about what happened here.
