Suffolk News-Herald

A Grace Street fire in a duplex caused extensive damage, however, the good news is no one was injured, including the eight puppies and their mom that were saved by

firefighters who fought the summer heat along with the fire.

Suffolk Emergency Management Coordinator Captain Jim Judkins said the extreme temperature Tuesday put a great deal of stress on firefighters as they battled to save the two-story frame structure in the 200 block of Grace Street.

The upstairs occupant of the duplex, Ricky Hudgins, told firefighters he smelled smoke and called &uot;911&uot; around 3:18 p.m.

Cross Realty owns the structure and the downstairs occupants are Tandra Stephens and Dion Hedgepeth; they were not at home when the fire occurred.

The fire’s origin was in the vicinity of a hot plate in the downstairs kitchen, and flames spread into the kitchen ceiling and up the rear wall into the upstairs apartment.

No figures were available on damages.