Crews respond to blazing fire near Hedingham subdivision

Around 1 p.m., photos from the scene showed flames and smoke shooting from the roof of townhomes on Southern Magnolia Drive.

Fire appeared to be moving up the rooftop, peeling paint and debris away from the side of the building.

Crews could be seen battling the flames.

It is not yet known what caused the fire, whether anyone was inside at the time or if there are any injuries as a result.

Resident Jessica Boone described what she heard.

"All I heard was like a loud boom," Boone said.

Fellow resident Anil Mandal said it drew his family outside their home on Southern Magnolia Drive.

"It was literally like a balloon popping off," Mandal said. "All of a sudden, we started hearing the sirens, and then we looked out the window."

Mandal said it happened very fast.

"The entire end unit of that row was in blazing fire," he said.

"I was worried that it might spread because in the beginning, it looked like it was spreading to other homes, but looks like they got control of it really fast," Mandal said.

Raleigh firefighters put out the fire within 37 minutes of getting the call. Raleigh Fire Division Chief Jake Corker said says the wind worked in their favor.

"It didn’t push it toward the rest of the building that was on fire," Corker said. "It gave us a break between the two buildings, which gave us a little room to work. "

One family is out of their home, but Boone said the neighborhood would come together to help them out.

"It’s sad losing your home, especially when you put all your time and money the way the economy is right now," Boone said. "I really feel for those who lost their home."

WRAL News spoke with the only family member who was inside the home when the fire started. She got out safely.

Right now, the family of three people is getting help from the Red Cross.

The family member said she believed something electrical on the outside of the home sparked the fire.

The home is a loss.