Submitted photoSmoke billows as flames shoot out of a vacant home near Kirkwood Sunday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the scene twice. The state fire marshal is investigating.
Rural house fire under investigation
Blaze erupts twice in vacant home near Kirkwood
Monday, November 12, 2007
KIRKWOOD - The state fire marshal is investigating a suspicious fire Sunday at a residence near Kirkwood.The vacant house is on U.S. 34, about a mile east of Kirkwood, just beyond the Shauman corner, according to Kirkwood Fire Chief Jim Vollbracht.
Firefighters were called to the scene twice.
"We were called out the first time around 6 a.m. Someone driving by noticed smoke in the house," Vollbracht stated. "We were called out the second time about four o'clock that afternoon."
When firefighters first arrived on the scene, flames were shooting out the rear windows of the home which was engulfed in smoke. Vollbracht said firefighters quickly knocked down the blaze.
"There was heavy smoke damage in the house, but it was not a total loss," Vollbracht added.
When firefighters were called a second time the home was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived.
"It was fully engulfed," Vollbracht said. "We called for assistance from our sister department in Cameron and from Monmouth."
Firefighters were on the scene for four hours in the morning. Vollbracht said they were on the scene for seven hours, until 11 p.m., on the second call. Since the house was fully engulfed it took firefighters longer to bring the blaze under control.
No one was injured while fighting the fire.
Vollbracht said he cannot release any details regarding the investigation, but the state fire marshal was called to the scene twice.
"Right now we are saying this fire is under investigation," Vollbracht said. "Based on the fire, we had the state fire marshal out there both times."
The house is now considered to be a total loss, according to Vollbracht.
"We spent quite a bit of time out there Sunday," Vollbracht said. "It was something like 11 to 12 hours altogether."
Anyone who may have information the fire is urged to contact the state fire marshal's office or call Warren County Crime Stoppers.
