Officials confirm one fatality, one child in serious condition after 'suspicious' fire in Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Investigators say a fire that killed one person and injured multiple others, including two children, is 'suspicious in nature'.

Multiple people were taken to the hospital and one person died following a fire that started in the 1100 block of Victory Blvd Wednesday night.

Portsmouth Fire, Rescue and Emergency Service personnel responded shortly after 10 p.m. The incident was immediately upgraded once officials were on scene.

Fire crews said they were able to rescue three people from the apartment building. Officials also said three adults and two children did receive injuries. Two adults were taken to a local hospital.

Fire officials later confirmed that one of the adult victims had died due to their injuries from the fire and that one child was taken to CHKD with serious injuries. Three dogs were also killed in the fire.

The Red Cross was able to assist the 13 other residents who are now displaced. Crews say they were able to control the fire just after 11 p.m. Portsmouth's regional partners in Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Navy Region Mid-Atlantic provided assistance during the incident.

The Portsmouth’s Fire Marshal’s Office deemed the fire to be "suspicious in nature," and it remains under investigation.

If you have any information that could help investigators, call the Portsmouth Fire Marshal’s Office at (757)-393-8689.