The fire at Morrow Funeral Home Tuesday has been ruled accidental by the Washington C.H. Fire Department and the cause is undetermined.
According to the WFD, firefighters received a tone at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday of smoke coming from the gutters of Morrow Funeral Home at 415 E. Court St. On arrival, the WFD found white smoke coming from the detached garage at the rear of the property. The fire department made forced entry through the garage doors by cutting an opening in them.
Upon entry the WFD extinguished the fire which originated in and around an area with metal shelves near an arc wielder. The cause was accidental, but not specifically determinable due to remaining causes that could not be ruled out, according to authorities. There was moderate damage to the garage, where a four-wheeler, a pickup truck and a hearse were stored.
“I think our guys did an excellent job handling this call,” WFD Lt. Tim Downing said during an interview Thursday. “The guys really worked quickly and very well together. It was thanks to their quick actions that the fire was stopped before it could spread to the main funeral home building. As always, I am proud of the work they did.”
The WFD were on scene for about an hour and a half investigating the cause of the fire. The Washington C.H. Police Department and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office were on the scene to assist with traffic.
