At approximately 4:30 a.m. on March 16, the Dexter Fire Department was called to the report of a structure fire located on Charleston Road.
While en route to the call, heavy smoke could be seen from several miles away and the call went out for full mutual aid to respond to the scene from Garland, and Corinna. After the call went out for mutual aid dispatch radioed that there were oxygen tanks as well as acetylene tanks located in the attached part of the house.
Once the first unit arrived on scene (POV) it was radioed to all responding units that we had a two story balloon framed construction house fully involved. Within minutes of the first arriving units, (Dexter engine's 471, 472, 474, and 477) the structure was flat.
Corinna set up a water supply at the corner of Maple St. and the Charleston Rd. (via) fire hydrant, as well as provided additional unites to the scene ( Engines 351, and 352) Unit 354 was water supply. Garland provided their unit 682 witch was their 3000 gallon tanker. A dump tank was set up at the scene and water was applied to the remaining collapsed structure that eventually fell into the basement.
The house was originally built in 1875, and is one of many extremely old houses in the community. The home owner stated that he had set a pan of bacon grease on the electric stove and stepped out into the shed to fetch some fire wood and, when he returned into the structure he could hear the lights popping, and see flames.
He ran to get an extinguisher but realized it was too late. He then screamed to his daughter located on the second floor. By then the flames had reached the stairs making them impassible! She had to go to a window and jump into the arms of her waiting father who caught her.
She was sent to the ER with smoke inhalation, and the father later went himself as a precautionary measure as he did receive some minor burns and a lot of scorched facial and head hair.
One horse, two dogs, and four cats did perish in the fire.
Crews from Sangerville covered the Dexter station while they were out and crews from Newport covered the Corinna station.
