ATF, SBI called in to investigate North Topsail Beach Fire

The search for a cause continues after fire destroyed two million-dollar oceanfront homes on North Topsail Beach over the weekend.

“I’d say these are the two biggest fires we’ve had since the town incorporated,” North Topsail Beach fire chief Tom Best said. He’s been the fire chief for nearly 20 years.

The fire broke out early Saturday morning at a home under construction on Ocean View Lane. Construction on the house was just about two weeks from being finished.

The fire spread next door to a seven-bedroom house that’s for sale. It did not burn to the ground, but it, too, is a total loss. A nearby condo suffered exterior damage as its siding melted.

The cause of the fire is unknown. It’s still under investigation. Both the ATF and SBI, which have been called in to help investigate, consider the homes commercial property because they’re both vacation rental homes.