4 New Castle firefighters injured while battling 3-alarm townhouse fire

PIKE CREEK, Del. - Four firefighters in New Castle County were injured while fighting a three-alarm townhouse fire, as flames burst through the roof of the building.

The fire broke out Thursday, around 11:45 a.m., in a townhouse on the 3200 block of Champions Drive, in Pike Creek, according to officials.

Crews arrived to find flames and smoke pouring from the home. They made their advance inside the building.

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Neighbor Norman Custis lives across the street and explained, "I looked out my window. Flames were coming out of there like crazy."

"What did you think," asked FOX 29’s Jeff Cole.

"Very intense. I was hoping nobody was home," Custis replied.

Custis recorded the intense flames on his cellphone and watched as firefighters entered the burning, multi-story home in search of occupants.

"All we know is that when we got there, we had heavy fire blowing out of the one townhouse," Deputy Chief of Mill Creek Fire Company Joseph Stewart said. "Crews made their advance to go inside and were met with heavy conditions."

The occupants were not home.

At one point, while fighting the blaze, three firefighters became trapped in the basement of the residence and a mayday was declared. Firefighters were able to get those trapped and pulled them to safety.

Four firefighters were injured and three were transported to Christiana Hospital. Two sustained minor injuries, while the third is serious, but stable with burns.

Officials say the home, in the Fairway Falls complex, is a total loss and two other properties were also damaged.

"The structure is a complete collapse, the first and second floors," Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert Fox said. "It’s going to be difficult for us to do our jobs, but we’ll get it done."

Gretchen Fitting, on her way home from the gym, saw the flames and got the fright of her life when she mistakenly believed it was her home of 25 years burning. "I was scared. I have two dogs. That was my first thought. ‘I’ve got to get in there and get those dogs out.’"

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.