One person was taken to Newman Regional Health with apparently minor burns after a fire in Reading early Tuesday.
Fire crews from Reading, Hartford-Neosho Rapids and Miller, along with an ambulance crew from Emporia, began responding to 5 Vine in northwest Reading shortly after 6 am. Scott Wilkerson of Reading Fire says there was heavy smoke and fire as crews arrived. Crews were able to both put out the fire and ventilate the space.
Emporia Fire says one person suffered burns at a hand and was taken to Newman Regional for treatment. That person’s name has not been released. Wilkerson says early indications are a space heater was too close to combustible materials, causing fire damage through one room and smoke damage throughout the house.
Emporia Fire Battalion Chief Ryan Conley says there are a few things that can go wrong with space heaters.
Conley also says space heaters need to be on a flat surface. They should be plugged directly into a wall outlet and never into a power strip. They also should not be pulled out of an outlet by the cord.
6:30 am Tuesday: Structure fire reported in Reading
Several Lyon County emergency response departments are battling a reported structure fire in Reading.
Crews from Reading, Hartford-Neosho Rapids and Miller were called to battle the fire, while Emporia Fire sent an ambulance to 5 Vine shortly after 6 am.
Early indications are one person was hurt but the nature and severity of that situation has not been confirmed.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates.
