BETHANY BEACH, Del.- Authorities are investigating a Tuesday morning fire that left a Bethany Beach area home in ruins.
Tony Petralia, a spokesperson for the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, said it happened at around 9:30 a.m. at a rental home located on May Drive in the Bethany Lakes community.
Petralia said the home's occupants were eating breakfast at the time when they noticed smoke.
When fire crews arrived on the scene, the home was fully ablaze with flames shooting through the roof.
It took 60 firefighters from several area fire companies several hours to get the fire under control. There were no reported injuries.
State fire investigators determined the fire to be accidental in nature and was caused by an electrical malfunction in the exterior pool equipment area.
Damage is estimated at $500,000.