FIRE DESTROYS AVON HOME

TMC NEWS PHOTOS / BRIAN WOODS

Avon – Fire officials are looking into reports by neighbors who say they witnessed kids running from behind a Moon Road home in Avon Sunday afternoon shortly before it broke out in flames.

Chief Frank Root of the Avon Fire Department said they received the call of a possible attic fire in a home on Moon Road – just north of Detroit – Sunday afternoon. “As the guys started responding they saw the thick black smoke billowing up into the sky and they knew right away that it was not just an attic fire. People could actually see the smoke from miles away.”

Root said that Firefighters from Sheffield Village and North Ridgeville responded immediately under their automatic mutual aid system. An Engine Company from Sheffield Lake was also called in for extra man-power. Two Assistant Chiefs from North Ridgeville were also on hand and worked with Root to coordinate the crews.

“Upon arrival crews found heavy smoke coming from the entire structure and a lot of flames coming from the rear and the north side of the structure” Root said. “Crews began pulling lines and I arrived at that point and ordered it to be a defensive attack – to attack it from the outside. My hopes were to do a quick, hard defensive attack and knock it down enough to where the crews could go inside but the conditions just continued to worsen. For that time of day it was an amazing amount of fire coming from just a single family home.”

Root said that when the first crews arrived the roof over the garage had already collapsed.

Paint thinner, propane and lamp oil was stored inside of the garage but Root said that it was still a tremendous amount of fire coming out of the home.

A neighbor told Fire officials that she witnessed kids behind the home shortly before the blaze broke out and although the homeowner was inside the house at the time of the fire – nobody was injured Root said. “The homeowner had just come home and entered through the garage probably 20 to 30 minutes before the fire started. He didn’t notice anything wrong until he heard a pop and then someone pounding on his front door and told him that his house was on fire.”

Root said the investigation is still ongoing but they were able to determine where the fire started. “We know that it started in the garage – he stored tires in there and that also added to the fuel load, along with the paint and thinners. So we do know where it started we are now investigating what triggered the fire.”

The house is a total loss Root said. “Not sure on the contents right now, but the structure is probably $150 to $175K. We will get with the owner to find out the estimate on contents."

The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross was called to the scene and spoke with the homeowners offering assistance, however they will be staying with family. The Red Cross Volunteers then set up a canteen to help Firefighters rehab throughout the fire.

Root commended the work of all of the Firefighters. “They all really busted their butts – very hard work out there today. These guys all did what was asked and accomplished a lot out there, especially in the heat. Very proud of them.”

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TMC NEWS PHOTOS / BRIAN WOODS