By Craig Anderson

DOVER — A 57-year-old man was found dead and another seven individuals were hospitalized Wednesday, following an early-morning fire at a large building on the corner of Loockerman and South New streets, authorities said.

Gowens Williams died in the blaze.

At just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dover police reported that six victims had been discharged from the hospital and a woman remained hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries sustained from smoke inhalation.

Theresa Young, the director of American Red Cross' Delmarva Chapter, said seven families were displaced, but "they've each found a place to go."

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries and were transported to Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus in Dover for treatment, Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen said.

The blaze was reported at 2:39 and declared under control at approximately 7:58, fire officials added.

The origin and cause of the fire have not been determined and remains under investigation. 

In the afternoon Dover PD said area roadways  remained closed "and are expected to remain closed for the next several hours and possibly longer."

Dover Fire Department Deputy Chief Sean Christiansen said fire personnel arrived at the scene within four minutes of receiving the call. Firefighters immediately saw heavy fire conditions on the first floor front and side of the building, he said.

Members of the Dover FD, Little Creek Fire Co. and Camden-Wyoming Co. removed the fatal victim from the building, Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

The blaze jumped from the first floor, to the second and third, Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

The fire then spread through a tar roof with plywood and created a partial collapse.

Firefighters flowed anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 gallons of water, and utilized seven hydrants in the downtown area.

After apparently putting out the fire at one point it rekindled itself due to plywood construction and brick veneer on the outer walls before being put out again, Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

Deputy Chief Christiansen said 54 firefighters from multiple companies responded, joined by Dover Police, Kent County and St. Francis EMS, along with the Kent County Department of Public Safety (which provided a drone crew). There were roughly 70 to 75 first responders present, he said.

Just before 3 p.m., Dover PD said area roadways  remained closed and could be for the next several hours or more.

As far as the response, Deputy Christiansen said, "This went as well as it could have gone.

Mayor Christiansen said “If you’d been here at the height of the fire you’d have seen a lot of young men and women putting it all on the line inside and outside of the building.

“I’m just so proud of that part of it.”

The blaze harkened back to a fatal residential fire in Little Creek on Feb. 6 that brought three deaths. Many of the same Dover firefighters responded to that blaze as well, Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

The members completed an incident review of Little Creek on Tuesday night.

“It’s tough, of course, but we get through it," Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

"We do our job and do it well,” Deputy Chief Christiansen said.

“We do have all sorts of critical incident management teams that come in and are there to deal with us and help us cope.”

Early Wednesday afternoon, firefighters were pumping water out of the basement to assist fire marshals in accessing the area.

Mayor Christiansen said the blaze was similar in scope to a building fire in 1966 that came on Christmas day.

The Red Cross received a call at 4:11 a.m., Ms. Young said, and a member was at the site by 5:30, remaining there until 9. The representative met with the families to gather information and determine what mental health and other health-related services were needed, she said.

The chapter's Condolence Care Team will also work with family members of the deceased victim, and case workers will continue to assist all families involved.

Dover's emergency management coordinator Kay Sass said gift card donations can be brought to her office or the mayor’s office at City Hall at 15 Loockerman Plaza.

No other items will be accepted at this time. “We just do not have the resources to sort, clean and distribute donations," Ms. Sass said.

This is a developing story.