A two-story home built in 1870 was destroyed early Sunday morning after a fire tore through the attic and continued burning for hours in downtown Carthage.
The fire was reported around 12:45 a.m. at a home in the 200 block of East Barrett Street. Due to the size and intensity of the fire, it was quickly upgraded to a two-alarm response, bringing in fire crews from departments across Moore County. A tanker from Lee County also responded to assist with water supply.
Fire crews arrived on scene and, because of heavy fog, could not see any smoke from the home. Flames became visible when firefighters moved to the back of the house. By the time crews were able to get water on the flames, the fire had already spread inside the walls of the older structure and into the attic. Once the flames reached the attic, the fire quickly intensified and spread, sending heavy flames shooting from the roof area. Crews continued to battle flames in the attic nearly two hours after getting to the scene.
Officials said the fire started in the back of the house. The cause of the fire has not yet been released. Four people were inside the home at the time of the fire, including two adults and two young children. All occupants were able to escape safely. A dog that was also inside the home was not harmed.
Multiple agencies assisted at the scene as firefighters worked through the early morning hours to contain the blaze.
The investigation into the fire remains ongoing.
