HENRICO COUNTY, Va. –- A house fire early Thursday morning left a western Henrico home extensively damaged.
Authorities responded to the blaze in the 9600 block of Rainbrook Drive just before 5:30 a.m., arriving to find the roof gutted and windows shattered as firefighters worked to control hot spots.
The property was reportedly in a state of ongoing renovation prior to the fire. According to neighbors, the homeowner had been undertaking various DIY projects over the years, evident by piles of construction materials and debris around the house.
“As of yet, we’re still working to collect all the details. To put that puzzle together,” said Scott Sutton, Henrico's chief fire marshal.
Sutton noted that firefighters encountered heavy flames at the rear of the structure and initially conducted a search inside the home before retreating due to high heat conditions.
The heat from the fire was so intense that it caused damage to the siding of the adjacent house. A nearby homeowner shared photos of the blaze just before firefighters arrived, choosing to remain anonymous.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported and the house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Authorities are still attempting to reach the property owner to gather further information regarding the home and the renovations.
“We’re currently working to talk to the owner of the property to get an account for the house and what has been happening at the house. What kind of renovations may have been going on so for sure that’s part of the puzzle we need to put together,” Sutton said.
Another neighbor mentioned she slept through most of the incident but expressed relief upon discovering that all neighbors were safe.
“I just texted the neighbors to make sure they were OK. Nice to know everybody was OK,” she said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation as officials continue to seek contact with the homeowner.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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