An unattended grill was the cause of a fire that damaged a home's exterior Thursday morning, a fire official said.
James City County firefighters responded to a fire at a Berkeley Green subdivision residence around 4:55 a.m., Battalion Chief Alton Catlett said.
A grill and back deck were on fire, Catlett said. Arriving firefighters found two adults and two children had evacuated the home and flames in the deck area.
The fire was extinguished, with damage confined to the homes exterior.
There were no injuries and the residents are staying with neighbors. James City County Fire Marshals determined the fire was caused by hot charcoals left in an unattended grill, which ignited deck materials, Catlett said.
The Fire Marshal’s Office said unattended grilling and improper disposal of coals from grills are a common, preventable cause of house fires.