Story reprinted courtesy of OBX Today
By Sam Walker, OBX Today
Officials today said that members of the U.S. Coast Guard and their families were involved in an early morning fire in Buxton that injured two people, while four others were still missing Friday evening.
“With great sadness, I have confirmed that the family of one of our active duty members is currently unaccounted for,” said Capt. Matt Baer, Commander of Sector North Carolina. “Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers while we investigate this incident with local authorities.”
Volunteer fire departments from Buxton, Hatteras and Frisco responded shortly after 4 a.m. to the 46000 block of Cape Hatteras Lane after a caller reported that flames were visible at one home.
Dare County EMS was also dispatched to the scene and took two individuals to the Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head.
A second alarm went out shortly after, and additional units responded to the scene.
Residents in the area state that they were awakened by an explosion at around 5 a.m., followed by some pops, before the fire progressed quickly. Firefighters were at the scene well into Friday afternoon working to extinguish hot spots.
“In addition to the individuals currently unaccounted for, three other Coast Guard members and their families were displaced by the fire,” Baer said. “They are currently in a safe shelter location.”
The fire happened in the Cottages at the Cape neighborhood, a privately owned combination of one single family home and 22 duplexes that offer year-round housing for 15 families and weekly rental of an additional 30 units.
“Members trained in critical incident stress management are currently en route to support those impacted by this tragedy,” Baer said. “We are also working with the Coast Guard Foundation and other organizations to further support our members and families during this difficult time.
“The Coast Guard is a small organization. This tragic incident impacts not only this family, crew and station, but various members, families and units throughout the Coast Guard.”
The Dare County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
