At approximately 8:37 am on April 3rd, a report was received regarding a house fire at 317 10th Street South. According to a press release, the individual making the 911 call confirmed that all occupants had evacuated the premises and reported the presence of thick black smoke emanating from the basement. Engine 1 arrived on the scene at 8:40 AM and observed smoke issuing from the structure. The captain of Engine 1 made contact with one of the residents, who verified that the fire was situated in the basement.
Upon entering the house, the crew from Engine 1 proceeded to the basement, where they encountered severe smoke conditions. The fire was successfully extinguished, and all fire-related losses were mitigated within 19 minutes of their arrival.
As Engine 1 was combating the fire in the basement, the crew on Truck 2 searched the first floor to locate the family dog that was reported to be inside the residence. Upon locating the dog, it was discovered to be unconscious. The Truck 2 crew removed the dog from the house and attempted life-saving measures; however, these efforts were regrettably unsuccessful.
The fire has been determined to have originated from a space heater that was used to defrost a freezer. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the basement, whereas the first floor sustained only minor smoke damage. The occupants of the residence have been referred to the American Red Cross for support and assistance.