'I heard a large boom:' Blazing fire sends 10 running from Durham home

Tall flames could be seen coming out of the home on Angier Ave., causing firefighter crews to call for more engines. At least a dozen were on the scene by the time the flames died down.

Janita Creek, who lives in the home with her boyfriend, said she was in the house when the fire started.

"We smelled plastic burning," she said.

She and her boyfriend tried to determine the cause of the burning smell. Cheek said she went into the laundry room, where she could strongly smell plastic burning – and that's when she started banging on everyone's doors to warn them.

She started to shout, "Fire!" But before the words came out, she said she heard the entire back of the house make a large boom.

Although she had a lot of possessions inside, Cheek said she's just grateful she was awake so she could warn people about the fire.

"It started in the back of the house, and nobody would have heard it," she said.

Unfortunately, while crews were battling the flames, another fire broke out on Driver Street. The fire was in a commercial area, and it drew crews away from the house fire.

According to officials, the unfortunate timing meant crews had to split between tasks. Between both fires, every single one of Durham's firefighters were out in the field – spreading the department quite thin, according to officials.

The home, which is a rooming house, held multiple families who were already facing financial hardship.

"This is tragic," said Danita McMillan, who was also a resident of the rooming house. "There's a bunch of families who now have nowhere to go."

Cheek said, "The most important part is everyone has their life. You can't replace a life."

Fire officials said two firefighters received minor injuries.

Cheek said she will be able to rebuild her life, "I know there's people out there who will help me, plus I have family."