A fire that has been attributed to arson caused extensive damage to an unoccupied house at 5500 Ware Neck Road in Gloucester on Monday.

Gloucester Fire Prevention Officer Lt. Tony Villani said fire was blowing out of the second story windows of the house when he arrived on the scene shortly after 8:15 a.m. He had responded to the fire from his home in Ware Neck. He said he and a medic who also responded from home did a primary search for victims in the house and found none. An engine from Station 1 arrived, and firefighters continued the search as an interior attack was begun on the fire. When the roof started to collapse, said Villani, he ordered everyone out of the building and an exterior attack of the fire continued.

During the course of the fire, Villani was notified that the fire had been intentionally set, and that Gloucester Sheriff’s Office deputies had two suspects in custody.

A total of 17 Gloucester firefighters with four engines, one tanker, two medic units, and one utility vehicle fought the fire, did salvage and overhaul, and assisted investigators with Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police at the scene until almost 2 p.m., said Villani. An additional 17 firefighters and eight pieces of apparatus from Abingdon, Mathews, Lower Middlesex, Urbanna, Hartfield, and Lower Queen and King volunteer fire departments responded to assist, as well, he said.

“It was hot,” said Villani. “It was a working fire, and people needed to take a break, so I called for more manpower from other counties.”

Villani said that, with volunteerism down, calling on mutual aid from other departments is becoming the norm. The average age of responders on the fire scene Monday was probably 50 years old, he said.

“Everybody’s volunteer numbers are down,” said Villani. “We all need people to join.”