Active and retired firefighters stopped a fire from spreading Sunday through Peppertree Villas.
A call went out at 11:43 a.m. Sunday for a structure fire at Peppertree Villas on Highway 58. Atlantic Beach, Morehead City, Beaufort and Pine Knoll Shores fire departments responded to the blaze in Unit A of the condominium complex’s building 17. Atlantic Beach Fire/EMS Chief Mike Simpson was on the scene and said they had the fire contained by 12:10 p.m.
“Right now, it appears that it (the fire) was contained to that one unit,” Chief Simpson said. “It may have been kitchen-related.” As of Sunday afternoon, the investigation was ongoing. While Chief Simpson said he didn’t know if the unit was occupied, there were no injuries or fatalities reported.
Lewis Smith of Nashville witnessed the fire and participated in its containment. Mr. Smith is a retired fire captain from Rocky Mount and said he was in Atlantic Beach on vacation with his family.