Friday, June 25, 2010 Three townhomes have been damaged by a fire in Harrisonburg. Two of those homes have severe damage.

The fire occurred in the Copper Beach subdivision on Bayberry Lane around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Six firefighters were inside the townhome, when an explosion occurred. Two of the firefighters suffered with burns on their face and two others had to hang from the ledge of the second floor windows.

They were racing against the clock, trying to beat the heat and the flames.

Witness Barbara Kurland says, "The wind was kind of blowing and it's really hot outside and it just kind of, the house combusted next door."

Harrisonburg Fire Capt. Larry Shifflett witnessed the unthinkable.

As several of his men went to fight the fire, an explosion occurred on the second floor.

Shifflett says, "Four of those guys came out the front door. They suffered first- and second-degree burns. Two of them actually had to bail out the second floor window and just hang by their fingertips until we could get ladders to get them down."

Although everyone survived, the firefighters know how lucky they are.

Shifflett says, "We had a very close situation here today, about the closest we've had for a long time."

Officials estimate that more than $100,000 worth of damage has been done to three of these townhomes.

Officials say they believe the fire may have been caused by cigarette butts thrown in a trash can.

A third firefighter was taken to Rockingham Memorial Hospital for overheating, but he was treated and released.