WINDSOR – Two vacant homes were destroyed by fire here Monday afternoon on Indian Woods Road.

According to Bluejay Volunteer Fire Department Chief Robert Cherry, the department received a phone call at approximately 4:25 p.m. and responded the scene.

Once they arrived, the two homes were fully engulfed and the woods in the area was also on fire.

The chief indicated one stick-built home, one mobile home, a garage and a barn were destroyed in the blaze.

With help from the Lewiston-Woodville Fire Department, the Windsor Fire Department, the North Carolina Forest Service and the Lewiston-Woodville Rescue Squad, the fire was contained to those structures and did not affect the homes in the surrounding area.

“I want to thank everyone that helped,” Cherry said. “The fire departments, rescue and forest service were all needed to protect the other homes.”

There were at least four other homes that were near the blaze, but none of those dwellings were damaged. All of those homes are believed to be occupied.

Cherry said there was an investigation underway that involved both the Bluejay VFD and the N.C. Forest Service, but that no cause had been determined as of Wednesday.

He estimated the damage to be around $30,000, but said it was only an early estimate and may change once everything was figured in.

After completely extinguishing the fire, the scene was cleared at 7:44 p.m.