Greenville's Fire Department responded to a house fire last Friday night at approximately 8:35 and arrived to find the home, 222 North Pine Street, fully involved.

Fire Captain Jeff Presley said that 18 firefighters responded to the call, including Chief Mike Phillips. They fought the fire for over four hours and that the fire was larger than usual because the house was a two-story dwelling, said Presley.

The glow was visible from blocks away as flames leapt into the night sky. The residence was unoccupied and no one was injured during the blaze.

Officials believe the fire started at the back of the house and flames extended through the roof once the house was fully involved. The house burned for hours and firefighters stayed on the scene throughout the night. The home was completely destroyed as a result of the blaze.

&uot;The house was so big we had to use more water than usual,&uot; Presley said. &uot;We weren't able to extinguish it as quickly because it had been burning awhile when we arrived.&uot;

The captain said the department was not notified when the fire first began and he felt that it was because no one occupied the house. A concerned citizen stopped at Fire Station 1 on Cedar Street to let them know about the fire.

Presley said he thinks the outcome of the incident may have been different had they been notified earlier. &uot;I wish we could have gotten the call more quickly,&uot; he said. &uot;But everybody did a great job.&uot;

He said the fire is still under investigation and the state fire marshal may be called in to investigate the incident.