MILLSBORO, Del. - A historic home in Sussex County goes up in flames.
It happened after 1 p.m. at Bennie Smith's Funeral Home along Washington Street in Millsboro.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing into the air. Crews had to break windows in order for the remainder of the smoke to exit the home.
The owner tells WBOC that a woman lived in an apartment on the second floor. She got out of the home safely.
About 60 firefighters from six different companies were on the scene.
Millsboro's fire chief says the fire started on the same floor as this apartment.
"It was a fire on the second floor of the funeral home that extended into the attic and the basement. It's an older balloon construction-style building which makes it hard to find and put out the fire," said Matt Warrington, Chief, Millsboro Fire Company.
Warrington says there was no evidence of bodies waiting to be cremated or being prepped for burial found inside the home.
Warrington says the cause of the fire is unknown. The fire marshal's office is conducting an investigation.
According to Warrington, the home was built in the late 1800's and is listed on the National Historic Register.
