5 adults, 3 children not seriously injured in 'accidental' house fire

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eight people, including three children, were taken to the hospital after a fire tore through a south Charlotte home Saturday morning.

The fire started around 6:45 a.m. on Chelwood Place, near Archdale Park.

Neighbors said sirens woke them up, and then they saw the glowing flames.

"We just saw the police. We saw all the smoke,” neighbor Orlando Villanueva said.

Villanueva then said he watched a neighbor break a window to help the family escape.

"I never seen anything like that. (It was) pretty scary,” he said.

Officials said the eight people were taken to the hospital, but nobody was seriously hurt.

"The neighbor come and helped give them blankets,” Villanueva said.

All that's left behind from the fire is the burnt exterior of the home.

"The fire started on that side, and they were sleeping in the living room, like, 1 foot away from the fire,” Villanueva said.

Officials said the fire started accidentally in the storage area of the home.

Officials said smoke detectors were in the home and the damage is estimated at $40,000.

Firefighters said the blaze was controlled in just under 30 minutes.

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