Houses in a new development in the Brookside-Ogletown area south of Newark were damaged or destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning.
Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder Co. and many other fire companies in the area were dispatched to the 400 block of Tree of Heaven Way in Chestnut Hill Preserve.
Callers reported several under-construction residences on fire, Aetna reported in a Facebook post.
Heat from the blaze was so intense that it melted the siding on residences across the street, Aetna reported.
Crews remained on scene for approx. five hours wetting down hot spots and checking for extension. One unoccupied residence was destroyed, a second suffered extensive damage and a third moderate damage, Aetna reported.
The residences were not equipped with fire sprinklers. No injuries were reported. Delaware’s fire service has been pushing for sprinkler systems in new homes, a move that is opposed by much of the home-building community, due to cost.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
The development site, which was a vacant tract at the location of a former orphanage was opposed by residents who wanted the site preserved as open space.
