A report Thursday morning of several homes on fire in central Emporia was unfounded.
Firefighters from Emporia, Americus and Olpe were initially sent to the 800 block of Rural shortly before 9 am after a passerby said they saw smoke coming from several homes in that immediate area, but the fire response was quickly downgraded.
Emporia Fire says there was a planned fire in a fireplace. Aside from the smoke coming from the chimney, there was no sign of any other fire, either in that house or others nearby.
