The Reno County Fire Department, Hutchinson police and EMS personnel responded to a house fire Monday afternoon on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Elm Street. The fire not only caused a portion of the roadway to close, but also an impromptu block party.
Dozens of neighbors gathered outside to watch the house fire, some drinking beer and celebrating. Sherry Treece, who lives in the apartment complex behind the home, said the house and its residents were notorious in the area for attracting crime and drug users, making it unsafe for her children. She said she was glad the home was on fire.
"We're excited," Treece said. "Now we can live a normal life."
"I'm just watching it burn," said Bradley Swaim, another resident of the apartment complex.
Firefighters arrived at the house around 3:30 p.m. Forty-five minutes before fire crews arrived, Lt. David Miller said police were called to the house because of a reported fight between Donnie Taylor, who lives in the house, and a neighbor. Miller said police found a weapon in the home that Taylor could have used against them and Taylor rushed at an officer. This, Miller said, prompted the officer to use a Taser against Taylor's neck.
Taylor was taken to the hospital in police custody and Miller said officers didn't recognize any signs of a fire. He said he didn't know whether other people were in the house at the time of Taylor's arrest.
"There wasn't any reason to go in. Obviously there wasn't a fire or we would have checked," Miller said.
Fire Capt. Doug Hanen said he had never seen people celebrating as they watched a house fire. He said he didn't yet know the cause of the fire or how many people lived in the home. As of 6 p.m., smoke was still coming from the structure and much of the house's exterior was either destroyed or charred black. Hanen said the home was likely destroyed.
By 7 p.m., he said, most of the fire was put out, but firefighters would likely stay with it into the night. Once it was structurally safe, said Hanen, firefighters would investigate whether the fire was started intentionally.
Hanen said no one was injured in the fire.
Taylor was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of battery, disorderly conduct and interference with law enforcement. In 2010, a judge dismissed kidnapping and drug possession charges against Taylor from a 2008 traffic stop because of a "speedy trial" issue. In 2008, Taylor was convicted of attempting to sell drugs.
By 7:45 p.m., Taylor was out of the hospital and booked into the Reno County jail. His bond was set at $1,100.
By 9 p.m., almost everyone had gone back inside and only two firefighters remained to watch the structure overnight.
Copyright 2012 - The Hutchinson News, Kan.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
