Evening Blaze

Article Photos

A Saturday evening fire has left at least one Jamestown family homeless and a city firefighter injured.

Jamestown firefighters were called to 829 Spring St. at about 6:40 p.m. Saturday for a reported structure fire and found heavy flames coming from the first floor when they arrived on the scene.

Parts of Spring Street were quickly blocked off while firefighters attacked the fire from both inside and outside the house. Heavy smoke was visible nearly two blocks away from the scene.

While no flames were visible near the front of the house, Don Woodfield, Jamestown Fire Department battalion chief, said there were flames showing from the first floor, and the heat from the fire was intense enough to begin melting the siding of a neighboring home, though there was little damage to the second structure.

''We got here and the neighbors were telling us that everybody was out, and the JPD was telling us everybody was out,'' Woodfield said. ''Fire was showing from the first and second floors, and there was heavy exposure we had to deal with when we got here.''

Fifteen off-shift firefighters were called in to help fight the blaze because of the intense heat involved, and at least one neighboring volunteer department - Falconer - was called to stand by at its station. It took nearly two hours for the fire to be nearly out, in part because of the balloon construction in the house. While Woodfield didn't know the names of the occupants or the owner, he said the home was 2 stories, not counting the attic and basement, and appeared to be a two-family home.

''The home was pretty chopped up,'' Woodfield said, ''and there was fire everywhere. Including the attic and basement, there was actually fire on four floors. There was a high heat condition on the second floor and it took us a while to open it up.''

One firefighter was taken to WCA Hospital for a leg injury. Lance Hedlund, deputy fire chief, said the firefighter was going to have an X-ray taken to see if the leg was seriously hurt. Bystanders applauded the firefighter as he was taken from the scene on a stretcher, giving a thumbs-up to the crowd.

Fire investigators were called to the scene Saturday night, though officials didn't know where the fire started or what might have caused the blaze late Saturday night.

Member Comments

View Comments: | 1-1 | Post a comment

pmdmaz
06-07-09 9:18 AM »Report Abuse	Prayers for the family and the injured fireman.

You must first login before you can comment.

Existing Member Login
Not a Member?	Create a Member Account
*Your email address:		<--Email REQUIRED!
*Password:	Forgot Password?	<--Password REQUIRED!
	Remember my email address.