The Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal has pinpointed a cause for a fire that displaced 18 in Claymont.
According to the office, the fire occurred when charcoal briquettes used in a grill ignited the rear vinyl siding on the townhouse. The cause was listed as accidental.
The blaze, reported shortly after 7 a.m., at the 1200 block of Melontree Court in the Stoneybrook Apartment complex near Naamans Road. The Claymont Fire Company arrived on the scene with flames on the exterior of the two-story row of townhouses.
Fire damage is estimated at $250,000. Eighteen people have been displaced – eight adults and ten children. The American Red Cross and the apartment management are providing emergency assistance to those displaced. There were no reported injuries.