CUMBERLAND — A four-company fire ripped through and destroyed a home in southern Cumberland County on Thursday afternoon.

Heavy smoke was seen coming from the scene of the fire at 350 Pleasant Valley Road. Large flames were visible at the back the home when firefighters arrived.

The fire was reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. according to Dan Pempel, the captain of the Randolph Volunteer Fire Department.
“It looks like it started in the kitchen,” Pempel said of the fire’s origin inside the single-story house. No one was injured, he said.

Firefighters from Randolph, Cumberland, Farmville and Prospect volunteer fire departments responded to the scene, in addition to Cumberland and Prince Edward volunteer rescue squads. Firefighters were on scene for over four hours, said Pempel, who cited that approximately 30 volunteer firefighters responded.

Alan Haddaway, a resident of the home, told The Herald on scene that he and his grandson had been outside working for approximately three hours when the fire started.

“We walked around the house to go in and when I opened the door the damn smoke was rolling,” Haddaway said of the fire, citing that it originated inside of the house.

The resident said he had no idea how the fire could have started. “I never smelled smoke or nothing.”

Pempel said the Cumberland Fire Marshal responded to the fire, noting that it was not suspicious in nature.