Update on Fires at 512 12th Street SE and 202 23rd Street Drive SE
Update on Fires at 512 12th Street SE and 202 23rd Street Drive SE
Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 512 12th Street SE at 4:19 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters were advised that a home and attached garage were on fire. When fire crews arrived on scene, they encountered heavy fire in the garage and considerable heat and smoke on the second floor of the two-story residential structure. Firefighters encountered intense heat and low visibility inside the home. When the fire breached the roof of the house, firefighters exited the interior of the home and extinguished the fire from a defensive, exterior position. Firefighters then went back inside the home to extinguish remaining hot spots. The structure and contents sustained substantial fire, heat and smoke damage. One firefighter was treated on scene for a heat-related illness. No other injuries were reported.
Investigators were able to determine that the fire originated in the attached garage and was not caused by an electrical pole or electrical line. Witnesses reported that juveniles were using fireworks earlier in the day around the garage. The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Firefighters also responded to a structure fire this morning at 4:07 a.m. at 202 23rd Street Drive SE. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a detached garage completely engulfed in flames. The roof of the 22 feet by 22 feet structure had already collapsed. There were power lines down near and on the collapsed structure. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was determined to be unintentional. The fire originated in a Yardy recycling container. The occupants of the nearby residence had discarded ashes from a fire pit into the Yardy container late Sunday night.
The Fire Department reminds citizens of the importance of ensuring that ashes from recreational fires or coals from a barbeque are completely extinguished and allowed to cool before discarding. The Fire Department further recommends that ashes or coals are disposed of in a metal waste container that has a lid and not to use a Yardy container.