Several ceiling modifications done throughout the years complicated battling the blaze as the fire went up the kitchen wall and into three false ceilings. The house, which Locke estimated to be more than 100 years old, originally had 12-foot ceilings and over time were brought down to 8-feet. “The whole house had been added on to,” he said. “There were several additions to the house.”
Locke said he believes the fire probably started from cooking. The fire, he said, “was going good before they saw it,” and flames eventually spread to the attic.
No one was injured and the American Red Cross was called in to provide assistance to those displaced by the fire.
Locke called for assistance from several nearby fire departments to aid his firefighters. “My air pack guys were wearing out quick.”
Halifax, Scotland Neck, Darlington, Whitakers and Battleboro came to relieve Enfield firefighters.
The call came in shortly after 5 p.m. and firefighters stayed on the scene until 11 p.m. “Then we went back two more times for hotspots. We just couldn’t get in those tight places and false ceilings.”