Home / Disasters and Accidents / Ice and Flames: Condos Engulfed in Winter Blaze
Ice and Flames: Condos Engulfed in Winter Blaze
2 Feb
Summary
- Two condominiums on Lake Hickory were engulfed in flames overnight.
- Firefighters battled the blaze in sub-zero temperatures with ice forming.
- A shut-down highway and frozen nozzles complicated efforts to extinguish the fire.
Overnight Sunday, a fierce fire consumed two condominiums situated on Lake Hickory. Firefighters from four departments, including Granite Falls, responded to the scene, confronting extreme cold with temperatures in the teens.
The intense cold presented significant challenges, causing ice to form on the structures and even freezing some of the firefighters' nozzles. Reports indicate that three inches of ice accumulated on the second floor due to water application on the fire. The fire hydrant's location across Highway 321 necessitated a highway shutdown, which lasted over four hours and hampered firefighting operations.
While the two units sustained heavy damage, the presence of firewalls between the condominiums proved crucial, preventing the fire from spreading to other units. However, power was cut to several neighboring units, raising concerns among residents about their pipes freezing on Monday.
