A fire extinguished Tuesday morning, April 17 at 3:20 a.m. at Port City Orthopedics on 5302 Oleander Drive, owned by Derrick G. Hicky, M.D., was intentionally set early reports suggest. The property’s damages are estimated to be $300,000 structural and $10,000 content. No one was seriously injured during the incident.
“Fire investigators are trained to figure out how the fire started,” Wilmington Fire Department Public Information Officer David Hines said. “Once appliances, heaters and other accidental properties are ruled out further measures are taken to figure out how the fire was started.”
The investigation has been turned over to the Wilmington Police Department.
“At this time we don’t have any information right now,” WPD Public Affairs Officer Linda Rawley said. “Our investigation is ongoing and our investigators aren’t finished with their report on the situation.”
The WFD was alerted through 911 Dispatch early Tuesday morning to put out the fire. Forty personnel and 12 fire suppression units arrived at the scene soon after. Initial reports indicated that a sprinkler system in the building helped douse the flames, but it was discovered to be a broken water pipe.
“Early in the fire a water pipe melted and helped control the fire,” Hines said.
One firefighter was treated on the scene and transported to Cape Fear Hospital Emergency. The fireman was later released and sent home for the remainder of his shift.
“The firefighter was taken to the hospital over intense exertion,” Hines said. “This is a common occurrence. When firefighters go through a bottle of oxygen they have to take off their gear and be checked physically. He was treated and released from the ER.”
