Fire caused by smoking materials
A Thursday afternoon fire that caused $130,000 damage to a home near 56th and Yankee Hill Road was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials.
Someone had tried to put out something, possibly a cigarette or cigar, in a plastic flower pot on the back porch area of the home at 8330 S. 61st St., said Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Sellon.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the 12:46 p.m. call and found heavy smoke and flames at the back of the house.
The fire traveled up the side of the house and into the eaves of the roof, making its way into the attic area, Sellon said.
The fire was controlled within 15 minutes, but firefighters spent several hours making sure it did not spread through the attic.
It was difficult to get through the drywall ceiling to attack the fire with water, Sellon said. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to relieve some of the heat and smoke.
“The attic fires are the ones that are the most difficult for us to get to because they’re so hard to reach,” Sellon said.
Damage to the structure was estimated at $100,000 with an additional $30,000 damage to content. The home’s assessed value is nearly $230,000.
The family who lived in the house wasn’t home at the time, and two dogs found in the home’s basement were safely rescued. No firefighters were hurt.
The residents probably won’t be able to occupy the house for several months, but it’s not a total loss. The American Red Cross responded, but residents said they would stay with family.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com.
Someone had tried to put out something, possibly a cigarette or cigar, in a plastic flower pot on the back porch area of the home at 8330 S. 61st St., said Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Sellon.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the 12:46 p.m. call and found heavy smoke and flames at the back of the house.
The fire traveled up the side of the house and into the eaves of the roof, making its way into the attic area, Sellon said.
The fire was controlled within 15 minutes, but firefighters spent several hours making sure it did not spread through the attic.
It was difficult to get through the drywall ceiling to attack the fire with water, Sellon said. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to relieve some of the heat and smoke.
“The attic fires are the ones that are the most difficult for us to get to because they’re so hard to reach,” Sellon said.
Damage to the structure was estimated at $100,000 with an additional $30,000 damage to content. The home’s assessed value is nearly $230,000.
The family who lived in the house wasn’t home at the time, and two dogs found in the home’s basement were safely rescued. No firefighters were hurt.
The residents probably won’t be able to occupy the house for several months, but it’s not a total loss. The American Red Cross responded, but residents said they would stay with family.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com.
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