No people were injured, however one dog was killed during a major house fire on Spring Lake Avenue Wednesday night.
According to Washington Fire Department Chief Tim Downing, at approximately 8 p.m. the fire at 1066 Spring Lake Ave. just off of Old U.S. 35 in Washington Court House was reported to the department. Downing said initial reports of the blaze suggested the fire was coming out of both the top and bottom floor windows.
When firefighters arrived on scene, all occupants were already out of the home. After it was determined to be safe for the firefighters to enter, they discovered the dog who had perished in the fire.
“I don’t know the exact amount of occupants right now,” Downing said. “At first we heard three occupants but we also have heard of another person, so we are unsure at this time. I called in the State Fire Marshal’s Office to assist with the investigation, and are still working on just how the fire started.”
Downing further explained the structure saw severe damage on all sides and throughout both floors of the home, but he commended the firefighters who worked quickly to stop the fire from collapsing the structure entirely. Thanks to mutual aide from Jefferson Township Fire Department and Concord-Green Fire Department, Downing said they were able to make it safe to get crews into the home and knock out hot spots.
“With what they had to start with the men did a fantastic job at making it safe to get guys in the house,” Downing said. “The fire was well ahead of the firefighters when they arrived on scene and yet they were very efficient in their knock-down. From some photos I have seen of the initial blaze it looked like the fire was coming out of the windows, doors and out of the second story as well. It was burning everywhere, or at least appeared that way. These guys were able to knock the fire down and keep the structure from collapsing.”
Downing additionally wanted to commend the mutual aide from the various county agencies that took time to help the Washington Fire Department, including the two departments that assisted with manpower and tankers. Among the other agencies assisting included the Fayette County EMS and Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
Downing commended those agencies for staying on scene to keep it clear and safe for the firefighters to do their work. With the potential for someone to be injured while fighting a fire, Downing said he appreciates the EMS sticking by to make sure they can get help immediately. With Spring Lake Avenue just off of Old U.S. 35, he said he appreciates the sheriff’s office informing the community with Nixle (a county-wide alert system for phones, emails and more) to keep the road and scene clear for tankers to get onto the scene.
He also commended Box65 for assisting the firefighters on scene until after midnight by providing refreshments and a spot for the crews to cool off.
As of Thursday, Downing said the American Red Cross has been in contact, though he could not comment on the extent of assistance for the family.
The information in this article was provided by Washington Fire Department Chief Tim Downing. Stay with the Record-Herald for more updates on this fire in a future edition of the paper.
Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy.
