2 MORE VACANT HOUSE FIRES

Elyria – Firefighters in Elyria were forced to battle two structure fires at the same time early Wednesday morning – one in the 900 block of Foster Ave and the second on Maple Street.

3:19 a.m. – Lorain County 9-1-1 receives a call of smoke and flames showing from a home in the 900 block of Foster Ave.

Assistant Chief Robert Dempsey said that when Firefighters rolled up on scene they had fire coming out of every window and doorway. “It was fully involved when we arrived on scene. We began hitting the fire with the deck gun off of an Engine and then Tower 8 got set up and began hitting it from the air.”

While Tower 8 was making progress from the air two hand lines were set up on either side of the structure to aid in the attack and also to protect exposures.

Dempsey said that Paramedics from LifeCare assisted a woman in a wheel chair out of the home next door to the fire house. “With the amount of fire we had coming out of the house I was concerned that if the shrubs and trees caught on fire her house might be next – so to be safe and for her well being we had her evacuated from her home.”

Once Dempsey saw how large the fire was he requested an emergency recall of personnel to fill the station to be able to cover the city.

3:55 a.m. – Lorain County 9-1-1 receives a call of a large amount of smoke in the area of South Maple Street.

Dempsey said that a call in crew responded to the scene and found heavy smoke coming from a vacant home and fire coming from the rear of the structure. “Once we realized that we had two working structure fires I called for a Mutual Aid Box Alarm. That brought us help from Carlisle and Lorain to the scene on Maple. We also called for assistance from Sheffield Village Fire Department to Maple Street as well.”

Maple Street was considered a defensive attack until mutual aid departments arrived – then fire crews began attacking the fire from inside of the home.

4:16 a.m. – The structure on Foster Ave collapses. Most of the house just fell into itself but the front fell forward into the front yard.

Assistant Chief Ron Brlas, who was working the Maple Street fire, said that they believe the fire started in the back of the home on the east side of the structure near a door. “The fire spread into a back kitchen area then up through stud pockets and into the attic.”

Both fires are currently under investigation by the Elyria Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau. Anyone with information about the fires are asked to contact the Elyria Fire Department.

FOSTER AVE PHOTO GALLERY

MAPLE ST PHOTO GALLERY