Two condos were completely destroyed by fire overnight in Pinehurst. The fire broke out at Linville Gardens just after 2 a.m. on Sunday.

The 911 caller reported flames showing from the units on St. Andrews Drive. A man in the lower unit and an older couple in the top unit were able to escape the fire. Pinehurst Police were first on the scene and evacuated the residents in the other attached units.

As fire crews arrived on the scene, the orange glow of flames could be seen from Highway 5, across the golf course from the condos. Fire crews from all across Moore County responded to the scene. Firefighters battled the blaze and fought to contain the fire in the roof.

Due to the multi-level construction of the roofline, firefighters had difficulty knocking down the fire in the roof area. They could be seen cutting access holes in the roof and along the sides of the structures in order to access the fire burning in the attic area and along the roof.

As the battle waged on, more units were paged for manpower to fight the blaze. Seven Lakes Fire & Rescue brought its air truck to begin refilling air tanks for the firefighters. Just after 4 a.m., with the fire completely knocked down, some of the fire crews on the scene began to be released. Some crews were expected to remain onsite for several more hours.

The Red Cross sent a team to meet with the displaced residents, assess their needs, and assist them with lodging and other needs.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Responding to the scene were fire units from Pinehurst Fire & Rescue, Aberdeen Fire & Rescue, Pinebluff Fire & Rescue, Southern Pines Fire & Rescue, Eastwood Fire Department, West End Fire & Rescue, Carthage Fire & Rescue, Seven Lakes Fire & Rescue, Moore County EMS, Moore County Public Safety, Pinehurst Police Department, and the Sandhills Chapter of the American Red Cross.

~Article, video, and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Publisher B.J. Goodridge.