By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER ó Firefighters from seven departments battled a South Long Street blaze Sunday night that consumed one home and threatened two others.
East Spencer firefighters responded at 11 p.m. Sunday to the fire at 312 S. Long St.
The one-story frame house was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene.
Bobby Silva, safety chief with East Spencer, said the occupants ó believed to be all adults ó had gotten out of the house.
Flames were reaching toward homes on either side of the burning house, which Silva said were within spitting distance.
Crews evacuated the neighboring houses.
Calling a second alarm, firefighters from Salisbury, Miller’s Ferry, Ellis, South Salisbury, Granite Quarry and Union responded.
Silva said they were able to keep the fire from spreading. “They did a good job, there was no damage to the other houses.
Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours, ending the assignment around 3:30 a.m. Monday.
Silva said the fire appeared to have originated in a middle room, uncertain whether it was the livingroom or a bedroom.
Rowan County Fire Marshal Tom Murphy is conducting the investigation into the cause.
The Hanford Dole Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to the scene to provide assistance to the victims.
Information on the victims was not immediately available.
Fire officials also weren’t sure who owns the house.
Silva said the fire may be the first of many with people firing up their furnaces and heaters as the temperatures drop.