NN firefighters battle East End house fire

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Firefighters arrived at a home in the East End of Newport News Saturday morning to find a fire burning on the back porch of the house.

Crews responded to the call in the 2100 block of Marshall Avenue at 9:22 a.m. The first units to arrive found heavy smoke coming from the rear corner of the two-story home. The fire had started spreading from the porch through the rear wall of the home, said Newport News Fire Department spokesman Robert Craft.

Firefighters attacked the blaze and conducted a search of the home. They found no one inside, Craft said. Crews then continued with an extensive overhaul to ensure the fire was out.

Firefighters had the fire under control at 9:40 a.m. The cause remains under investigation. Fire officials called the Red Cross to assist the residents.

The Newport News Fire Department will install free smoke alarms for any city homeowner. For more information, call the Smoke Detector Hotline at 926-8009 or visit the department's web site at  www.nngov.com/fire .