EDWARDSVILLE, Kan. --
Fire forced a woman out of her house and into the cold Friday afternoon.
The fire was in a small home on Fifth Street near downtown Edwardsville.
The blaze gave a longtime firefighter one last opportunity to do his job, KMBC's Dan Weinbaum reported.
Fire Chief Clifton Lane is retiring from the Edwardsville Fire Department. When the first call went out, he was at his retirement luncheon.
"Guys got on the scene and reported moderate smoke coming from the structure," Lane said.
He said this was the first fire in Edwardsville in a while.
"Once they arrived, they noticed a lady in the front of the house. She got out safely, and once she got out, they started extinguishing the fire," Lane said.
Crews were able to quickly put out the fire.
The Red Cross is helping the woman.
Lane said he's been on the job in Edwardsville for more than 31 years. He said he started as a rookie and moved up the ranks to become chief.
He said this may be the last fire he fights.
"I guess you can go out with a bang, if that's what you want to call it. Went on and did what I had to do on my last days here," Lane said.
His last day on the job is Monday. The current police chief will temporarily fill the position of fire chief.
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