Vacant house destroyed by fire, investigators say it's suspicious

JAMES CITY -

A vacant home on Church Road in James City was destroyed Saturday morning after being engulfed in flames twice.

According to Craven County assistant fire marshal Ira Whitford, a house on the 400 block of Church Road caught fire at 3:00 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters put out the flames and left by 7:30 a.m. Shortly afterwards, the fire sparked again.

No one was living at the home at the time, but someone who lived nearby the home stopped by and claimed he lived there with his family a few years back. Tom Mapp said the house was old and had bad electrical wiring.

"I don't feel my family was safe in the home at all," Mapp said.

Another neighbor was awoken by the fire.

"About 3:00 in the morning saw some lights flashing in the window," said Larry Baldwin.

There was some light rain Saturday morning, but the assistant fire marshal said it was not enough to help cull the flames.

Fire investigators are treating the fire as suspicious. They said they do not believe the fire was electrical in nature.

No one was hurt in the flames.

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Vacant house destroyed by fire, investigators say it's suspicious