The only bright spot in Monday’s fire may have been that there was a fire hydrant in the front yard.
Around 10:20 a.m., the Lenoir County 911 center received a call of a house fire at 1327 Railfence Drive. Sunlight glanced off smoke pouring from under the roof as firefighters with the Kinston Department of Public Safety got the blaze under control.
An elderly couple evacuated the house, owned by Ellen Praleau, safely, but the residence sustained an estimated $10,000 in damage, mostly from smoke.
“The cause of the fire is a bare light bulb in a closet (that) came in contact with clothing,” KDPS spokesman Woody Spencer said.
The air outside ran thick with the smell of a bonfire as firefighters took about 30 minutes to put out the conflagration and begin their investigation. Firefighters placed a water cooler on a bench on the front yard, as they took drinks and shared shifts going into the structure. Extra oxygen tanks were also on hand.
The Lenoir County chapter of the American Red Cross announced on Facebook shortly afterward that it is providing relief efforts to the house’s residents.
In all, KDPS Engine 22, Engine 11, Ladder 18, Ladder 33, police and Lenoir County EMS responded to the scene.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.