VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — One person died in a fire at an apartment building on Dadson Court in Virginia Beach early Tuesday morning.
Two cats also died in the fire.
Now, investigators are trying to pinpoint the cause.
According to officials, crews were called to the 4700 block of Dadson Court at 3:24 a.m. for the report of a multi-family commercial structure fire. The Dadson arms Apartment Complex is located off Pleasure House Road, near Chick’s Beach.
When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the front door of the two-story apartment complex building. Multiple units were affected.
Crews had water on the fire at 3:40 a.m. and marked it out at 4:18 a.m.
“The fire was meeting us at the door. So units were very quick in getting the hoses on the ground and the water on the fire,” said Virginia Beach Fire Department Assistant Chief Eric Wilkerson.
Firefighters quickly got to work, shutting down the street for much of the early morning.
Neighbors say it was a sudden wake up call.
“Jumped up quick, but that was it. We heard a bang bang bang on our door, and he said you gotta get up and get dressed and get out,” said neighbor, Michelle Wright.
Crews found an unconscious person on the first floor and transported them to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where they later died.
Michelle Wright said neighbors tried their best to rescue the man who lost his life. “They had a key to his apartment, and by the time they got down there to open up his door, the smoke had already affected her. She couldn’t really do anything.”
Amid the charred and blackened siding, neighbors put up an American flag — in honor of the man who died.
Wright said the man who died was a kind and good neighbor. “He lived alone. He was very nice. He loved to read, him and his cats, he always had his cats in the window. My neighbor upstairs, she felt bad too.”
Animal Control was dispatched to the scene Tuesday morning and recovered two dead cats.
Later that morning, as fire crews cleared out, the four people who lost their homes were allowed back in to get their things. Friends and strangers helped them out.
Firefighters are still investigating what caused this fire, and displaced neighbors are getting help from Red Cross.
No other civilians, firefighters, or pets were injured.
Family of one of the victims of this fire has started a GoFundMe to help them start over. Click here if you would like to contribute.