While the Fourth of July was enjoyable for many, it wasn’t for everybody.
Americus and Emporia firefighters went to 703 Walnut in Americus shortly before 11 pm Tuesday after a house fire developed. It took over two hours to get the main blaze and hot spots put out. Americus Fire Chief Bill Harmon says resident were inside and got out of the house, although one resident and a neighbor suffered minor injuries. Both were treated at the scene and declined hospital trips afterward.
Harmon says the investigation points to an electric malfunction on the house exterior. It appears the fire started on the north side of the house. Harmon also says one or two rooms escaped fire damage, but the house and attached garage have smoke damage so the entire house will likely be considered a total loss.
Firefighters from both departments went back to the house shortly after 6 am Wednesday after a potential rekindle was reported .Harmon says a rubber hose was smoldering, but there was no actual fire with Wednesday’s emergency call.
10 am Wednesday: Details pending after Americus house fire; Emporia firefighters handle pair of fireworks-related dumpster fires
Firefighters were quite busy as they handled a structure fire in the 700 block of Walnut in Americus late Tuesday night, first going out shortly before 11 pm and then returning shortly after 6 am. Details are pending, but the house and attached garage were heavily damaged.
The Americus fire overlapped two different fire calls for Emporia, including a wood pile fire in the 100 block of Congress and a dumpster fire in the 700 block of Commercial. A second dumpster fire developed after 1 am in the 1900 block of West 24th. While the cause of the wood pile fire is currently undetermined, Emporia Fire Battalion Chief Tony Fuller says the dumpster fires both resulted from people putting smoldering fireworks inside.
It was busy earlier in the day as well. Emporia Fire handled a small campfire north of the city’s fireworks display setup area after a concerned resident called it in. Emporia Fire and Emporia Rural also handled a small fire that got into a tree line just south of the Riverview condominiums, while Miller and Reading were toned out to a grass fire starting with hay equipment near Roads 310 and D. The cause for the tree line fire is currently undetermined, while the cause for the grass fire was hay equipment.
6:30 am Wednesday: Americus, Emporia firefighters at scene of possible structure fire rekindle
Fire has apparently redeveloped at a location in Americus.
Firefighters from Americus went to the 700 block of Walnut on Tuesday night, returning shortly after 6 am Wednesday. Emporia Fire was toned out later as mutual aid.
Details are pending, both on the initial fire and the apparent rekindle. KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
