Wilmington fire and police departments responded to a car wreck that caused a house fire Monday in downtown Wilmington.
Wilmington Fire Department Assistant Chief Steve Mason said firefighters and police responded to a call around 12:20 p.m. about a car that struck a home, which caused a house fire at 126 Kenwood Ave. The home received significant damage.
Mason said a man drove his Jeep into a two-story home and caused a gas fire that burned the outside vinyl of the home.
Mason said two gas sources were feeding the fire and a live power line fell into the street. The fire started at the ground floor and made its way into the attic, Mason said.
One of the residents was inside her home at the time of the fire but made it out to safety on her own. EMS took one person away from the scene to treat minor injuries.
“A quick hose placement helped secure the fire quickly so the fire did not spread to a home 25 feet away,” Mason said.
Wilmington Police Department Spokeswoman Lucy Crockett said officers have taken the man involved in the wreck into custody.
According to Crockett, police have arrested Robert Castorena, 52, of Wilmington and charged him with driving while impaired (DWI) and failure to maintain lane.
Contact Christina Haley at (910) 772-6337 or [email protected]
