Bellefontaine Fire Department firefighters and a Bellefontaine Police Department officer assist at a house fire Monday morning, located at 717 Heritage Drive. (TONYA SCOTT-BEENEY PHOTO)
Firefighters of the Bellefontaine Fire Department were dispatched about 5:55 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, to a house fire at a vacant home located at 717 Heritage Drive, Bellefontaine.
A resident on Cooper Avenue reported an odor of smoke and a “red glow,” and when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found a fully-engulfed structure fire, Assistant Fire Chief T.J. Weikart said.
All of the off-duty personnel were called in to help fight the blaze. The home, owned by Albert Hockley, was deemed a total loss, estimated at approximately $152,000, the assistant fire chief said.
Because of the subzero temperatures and wind chill Monday morning, firefighters were rotated in and out while fighting the fire for staff safety, Weikart noted.
While most of the crew cleared the scene at 12:30 p.m., some staff and an engine also reported to the home during the afternoon to check for hot spots.
The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation.
Bellefontaine Fire and EMS responded to the a structure fire on Heritage Drive Monday morning, where the home was deemed a total loss. (TONYA SCOTT-BEENEY PHOTO)
