The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995             TAG: 9512070324
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: SUFFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   26 lines

FIRE DESTROYS SUFFOLK HOUSE, DAMAGES ANOTHER; NO ONE HURT

A two-story house in the 300 block of Finney Ave. was destroyed by fire Wednesday and the house next to it was damaged. No one was injured.

The two-alarm fire started in an electric heater in a downstairs bedroom, said Lt. Steve Gray, spokesman for the Suffolk Fire Department.

The fire had gained headway before a neighbor reported it at 3:10 p.m., Gray said, and the older type of construction of the wood-frame house hindered firefighters. Ten firefighters remained on the scene about 2 1/2 hours.

The estimated loss to the building and contents was $60,000. The house was being rented by Lorenzo Williams.

Next door, a house occupied by James Andrews sustained about $5,000 in damage from heat, mainly to the vinyl siding and window panes.

KEYWORDS: FIRE by CNB