THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505040372
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: AVON LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
A 34-year-old firefighter was hospitalized late Tuesday for injuries suffered when he fell while battling a blaze at the Big Wave Diner in this Hatteras Island community .
Jeffrey Gray, a 10-year veteran of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department, injured his back and was taken to the Outer Banks Medical Center. He was later transported to Chesapeake General Hospital, and was released Wednesday.
Dare County Fire Marshal Doug Remaley said the blaze was accidentally started by a burning cigarette in an ash tray near cans of paint and other materials in a storage room on the diner's second floor.
Remaley said the storage room was destroyed. A portion of an nearby apartment was also damaged. ``People had been in and out of there all night until about 10 p.m.,'' Remaley said. ``They were getting ready to reopen (for the season).''
Firefighters from Avon, Buxton and Frisco responded to the call at 11:33 p.m. Remaley said flames were visible through the roof when units arrived at the scene.
Remaley credited Avon Fire Chief Shawn Gray and firefighters for a quick response that kept property damage - estimated at $75,000 - to a minimum.
``The fire was pretty much under control after about an hour,'' Remaley said. ``The crews did a great job of keeping damage down.''
KEYWORDS: FIRE by CNB