Person with ‘severe burns’ airlifted to hospital after Manteo house explosion, fire

By Corinne Saunders

MANTEO — A person suffering from “severe burns” after a house in Manteo exploded and caught fire was airlifted to a hospital Friday afternoon, according to radio reports.

The local public safety radio channel reported a structure fire on Dogwood Trail in Manteo. The house was “fully involved” by 3:41 p.m. following a “large explosion.” A subsequent update said Dare County MedFlight transported one victim “with severe burns” to a trauma center.

Emergency personnel, including the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department and multiple units from fire departments across the Outer Banks, responded to the explosion and fire.

“There was a pretty significant fire,” Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson said in a Friday evening phone call, noting that the fire’s cause was under investigation and likely would be for some time.

Dare County Emergency Medical Services Chief Jennie Collins confirmed that Dare MedFlight transported one individual to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, departing locally sometime after 4 p.m.

Outer Banks Insider witnessed MedFlight on its return journey, as it was flying south over Kill Devil Hills around 5:40 p.m.

Around 7 p.m., the fire marshal and multiple units were still on the scene, Collins said.

A national public safety nonprofit organization listed the address of the explosion and fire as in the 100 block of Dogwood Trail in Manteo, also reporting that a burn victim would be flown.

Multiple 911 calls came in about the house explosion in the residential neighborhood at 3:15 p.m., according to a press release issued late Friday night by Dare County Fire Marshal Steve Kovacs.

Responding were the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department, Dare County Sheriff’s Office and Dare County EMS, with the Dare County Fire Marshal’s Office and the NC Forest Service also en route, the release said. A sheriff’s deputy reported the house fully involved with one injury.

Fire Chief Bill Walker called for a second alarm upon arrival, which brought units from Nags Head Fire & Rescue, Kill Devil Hills Fire & Rescue, Manns Harbor Volunteer Fire Department and Colington Volunteer Fire Department, according to the release.

“Crews worked to contain the fire and keep it from spreading into the surrounding woods,” Kovacs wrote in the release.

“Crews were able to control the fire within about an hour but continued to work on hot spots into the evening, with the final units clearing at 9:17 p.m.,” he continued. “Three vehicles and one boat were also destroyed in the fire. One other home suffered minor damage.”

Several area residents shared on social media Monday night and Tuesday morning that a tragedy bank account was set up to assist the person injured from the fire.

A State Employees Credit Union (SECU) bank account was set up, and anyone can donate funds at any SECU branch to account No. 64687929, with checks made out to “Alan and Nila Beacham.”

Buddy Creef said in public Facebook post Tuesday morning shared that information, noting that many people “have been asking how to help my friend, Alan Beacham, who was tragically injured when my house exploded.”

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This article was updated on Tuesday, July 15, at 9:42 a.m., to add the information from the fire marshal’s release and the new information on how to support the injured person.

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