FIRE GUTS ELYRIA APARTMENT

Elyria – A curling iron left on a bed has left one apartment completely destroyed and ten others with smoke and water damage.

Assistant Chief Robert Dempsey of the Elyria Fire Department said they received the call of an apartment on fire at 144 David Drive at 9:16 p.m. Wednesday night. “The fire originated in apartment C-10, that apartment belongs to Larry Eccleston and his 14 year old daughter. The fire started in the daughter’s bedroom on the top bed of a bunk bed. The daughter had left a curling iron and a straightening iron on for about an hour. The heat from the irons ignited the bedding on the top bunk setting the bed on fire.”

Dempsey said that Eccleston discovered the fire and attempted to extinguish it himself. When he realized it was too much for him to handle he called 9-1-1. This is something that Dempsey said Firefighters do not recommend. “We always recommend that people get out of the structure as quickly as possible and then call 9-1-1, immediately. The longer you wait the farther ahead the fire gets. In this case I do not think there was a long time delay, but there was some and in our business every second counts so we strongly recommend to get out immediately and then call 9-1-1.”

Jessica Smith lives in the building next door and heard the smoke detectors going off. “I was running back into my building real quick just to get some formula for my baby when I heard the alarms. I could see in the corner bedroom window what looked like a small flame but then all of a sudden it just blew up, not like an explosion but it just grew very fast.”

Smith said that she called 9-1-1 right away and then notified the building manager. It was when she was on her way back from the manager’s apartment that she said she witnessed something amazing. “When I was walking back over I saw a Police car in the lot and then I saw this Police Officer coming out of the building with two small children. By this time there was a lot of flames coming from the windows and a lot of smoke so to me that Officer saved those kids lives. He was very impressive and I think he should be recognized for what he did.”

Art Mead Sr., Disaster Chairman of the American Red Cross said that he and his Red Cross Volunteers were assisting victims of the fire. “There were 11 apartments affected by the fire and we are working with a total of 24 people. We have given them vouchers for a motel room and food as well as clothing that they need. Our Nurse is also working closely with them to determine if any of them need medication or any other special medical needs. We were fortunate in this case where the Firefighters allowed some of them back into their apartments real quick to get things like medication.”

Mead said that some of the victims will be staying with family tonight and they were still waiting at midnight to meet with two other families. “We will also be back first thing in the morning to see what else is needed and we will also be able to survey the damage to the apartments to determine how long we will need to provide housing for the victims.”

Mead said that if anyone would like to donate to the American Red Cross could do so by calling their office at 440.324.2929. “We would like people to make a donation to the Local Disaster Relief Fun, that is where we pull money from to assist families.”

To see more photos from the scene: CLICK HERE