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Fire destroys two story Chesapeake home, family escapes safely 

Posted at 5:44 AM, Oct 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-12 11:25:59-04

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - A family of three lost their home in an early morning fire that broke out Wednesday.

Chesapeake fire officials said the fire call came in at 12:35 a.m. and it took them ten minutes to get to the house on Tafton Way.

By 1:30 a.m. the fire was deemed under control, but there is major damage to the majority of the two story house.

Homeowner, Harl Hockeborn, told News 3 he, his wife Margaret and daughter Emily were home at the time of the fire. A working smoke alarm system told them something was wrong and then they began to smell smoke.

21 year old Emily found the fire in the back section of the house near the guest bedroom and bathroom. They saw the curtains on fire.

The family has lived in the house for 15 years and say the best part about the house is the neighborhood they are surrounded by. Neighbors took them in as fire crews worked on the house.

The family is strong in their faith and they say it's by the grace of the Lord that they all escaped unharmed. They say the house and the stuff can be replaced and they hope to rebuild right here.

Firefighters report none of the family and no firefighters were injured but they have not yet determined what started the fire.