EARLY MORNING HOUSE FIRE

Amherst – Amherst Firefighters were called to the 200 block of North Main Street for a house fire around 8am Saturday morning. When Firefighters arrived they found heavy fire shooting from the south portion of the home.

Assistant Chief Jim Wilhelm of the Amherst Fire Department said the homeowner was awake and thought she smelled plastic burning. “She woke up, smelled plastic burning and for some reason took a shower. When she came back she saw the fire. She grabbed a sheet and wet it down and attempted to put the fire out, but by that time the fire had grown too much.”

The woman then got one of her sons to get the garden hose to try and extinguish the blaze. That didn’t work either.

Wilhelm said the Fire Department arrived just about that time and his fire Engine crew entered the home with an attack line and pushed the fire out. “They did a real nice job of getting that fire knocked down as quickly as they did and I think they did it with only about 50 gallons of water.”

The homeowner told Chief Wilhelm that she “thought” she was home along but wasn’t sure. Firefighters did a quick primary search of the home and turned up no other occupants.

Wilhelm said one Firefighter was suffering from heat exhaustion but was being given oxygen and doing well. The American Red Cross was on scene to assist the family.

To see more photos from the scene: CLICK HERE