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Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Fire at Manteo waterfront shops.

Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Manteo waterfront shops fire. By Theresa Schneider

Flower pot where fire officials say the blaze started.

A fire broke out on a patio area on the second floor of the Waterfront Shops in downtown Manteo Thursday night. The intersection of Queen Elizabeth Avenue and Fernando Street was lined with firefighters, trucks, fire hoses and water in the aftermath.

Cigarettes butts in a plastic flower pot were the culprit, according to Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department Chief Talmadge “TJ” Jones. Jones said the flower pot had been against the side of the building and ignited the siding. The way it’s constructed, there is a space between the siding and the inner wall, which creates a chimney effect and can pull smoke and fire upwards.

To ensure the fire had been contained to the outer areas of the building, Jones said members of the fire department accessed the interiors of both Sisters Boutique, whose outer wall had caught fire, and the residential condo unit above. He said both interior areas were unaffected.

Jones cautioned that cigarette butts should not be put in improper receptacles — in this case, a plastic flower pot.

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