On Thursday at approximately 3:15 p.m., Goldsboro Fire Department units were dispatched to a structure fire at 122 ½ S. Center St. Engines 1,3,4, Tower-1, and Batt-1 responded with 13 personnel.
A second alarm was called for, and the remaining two engines, Engines 2 and 5 responded to the scene with an additional six personnel. All Command Staff members also responded.
Engine 1, Battalion 1, and two Command Staff personnel arrived on the scene at approximately 3:18 p.m. to find smoke showing from the second story with three occupants hanging out the front windows. Engine 1 utilized two ladders from their apparatus and a ladder from a civilian working near the scene to remove all three victims to safety. Crews pulled handlines from the apparatus and made entry into the second floor to extinguish the fire. The fire was called under control at 4:02 p.m.
Remaining crews searched all apartments and checked for extension into other parts of the building. All adjoining apartments and businesses were checked for fire extension and smoke was cleared from their respective areas.
Seven adults were displaced and are being assisted by the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Three occupants were transported to UNC Health Wayne by Wayne County EMS. No further patient information has been received. No Fire Department injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire will be listed as accidental, due to a space heater that was too close to combustible material.
Mutual aid partners MarMac, Belfast, New Hope, and Elroy assisted with coverage of the city during the incident. Marmac Fire Department staged an engine in our Headquarters station, Belfast responded to one call for service, and ElRoy and New Hope formed engine companies and staged until Goldsboro Fire units could start to clear. Wayne County EMS units arrived on the scene and assisted the fire department with rehab procedures.
The Goldsboro Fire Department would like to thank all parties that assisted with this incident: Belfast, MarMac, New Hope, and Elroy Fire Departments; as well as Wayne County EMS and Goldsboro PD. We would also like to send a sincere thank you to the citizens that assisted the first arriving unit with the rescue of the three occupants trapped on the second floor. Your help was greatly appreciated and was instrumental in saving the lives of the three occupants on the second floor.
