FIRE DESTROYS HIGHLAND CT HOME

Elyria – One home was completely destroyed while two others received fire and smoke damage after a suspicious fire on Highland Court in Elyria early Tuesday morning.

Captain Joe Pronesti of the Elyria Fire Department said they received a call just after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning of a possible structure fire on Highland. “I first started asking 9-1-1 to advise me if they were getting multiple calls but then as I pulled onto Lake Ave I could see smoke and the glow of fire across the road.”

Pronesti began requesting mutual aid from surrounding communities as he rolled up on the fully involved house fire. Firefighters from Sheffield Village, Lorain, Elyria Township and Avon were some of the first to respond for the call for help. “We arrived with only 10 guys on duty and I knew we would need more so that was our first problem. Then we discovered that we had very low water pressure near the structure so we had to find a good hydrant and finally did on Gateway near Lake Ave.”

Elyria’s newest fire truck, Tower 8, also caused problems for Pronesti as it was malfunctioning early in the battle. After some work Firefighters were able to get the Tower truck back in service and up in the air dropping water on the blaze. Pronesti called it the Trifecta of problems for his battle – low manpower, low water pressure and a malfunctioning Tower truck.

A water shuttle was requested but was canceled after arriving. Eaton Township and Carlisle Township had tankers manpower on scene if needed.

Houses to the right and left of the fire house received fire and smoke damage as well.

Firefighters battled the blaze for more than an hour before calling it under control and eventually out. A rekindle brought Firefighters back to the scene a couple hours later but that was quickly extinguished.

There were no injuries reported in the fire.

The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting 3 families, 11 people in total, with housing, clothing and other necessities.


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