On-duty and off-duty firefighters were continuing to battle a fire late Thursday morning that broke out several hours earlier in one of the cottages at the Shibui housing complex in Upper Contant.
The residence within the complex of Japanese-style cottages in which the fire started was totally engulfed in flames and the roof collapsed, WVWI/Radio One reported. Gusting east-northeasterly winds carried embers from that structure to another, and a third sustained smoke and water damage, the radio report said.
Fire trucks from the Charlotte Amalie and Tutu stations were on the scene, along with private water haulers and extra pumpers brought to the scene by off-duty firefighters. Water was being drained from the complex swimming pool to fight the blaze as well.
Traffic was impeded on Crown Mountain Road at mid-morning and Fire Services asked that motorists use alternate routes.
Because of the architectural style of the residences, the fire got locked into the gabled roof of the structure that was destroyed, the radio report said.
Although the fire was contained, firefighters continued to be concerned about other structures downwind of the blaze because of the high winds.
There were no reports of injuries.
