Fires plague Plains area

PLAINS – Emergency responders rushed out to Durham Lane, Tuesday morning, to fight a structure fire on the outer boundaries of Plains.

Smoke billowed out from natural cracks in the building’s roof, but seemed confined to one section of the residence. Firefighters predicted needing to cut a hole into the roof to reach part of the fire.

A traffic perimeter was established for several yards around the building in case anything explosive was caught in the fire and set off.

The Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department was first on scene with the Plains City Fire Department responding with mutual aid. One fire truck came from each department with a tender also coming from Plains-Paradise Rural. An ambulance was on stand by to treat any injuries, though it looked like everyone evacuated safely.

All together there were 14 firefighters on scene. Plains-Paradise brought one engine and two tenders to fight the fire; there was also a truck for the fire chief on scene. Plains City Fire also contributed an engine.

According to Marlin Cooper of Plains-Paradise, the fire was caused by ashes the resident had placed on the back porch; they were still hot enough to reignite once they hit the open air outside; the flames then traveled inside the building.

The structure was saved and the minimal structure damage can be repaired.

Firefighters also responded to another fire in Plains, Wednesday. Flames had consumed a small trailer across the street from the Plains Veterans of Foreign Wars building.

By the time Plains-Paradise and Plains City Fire arrived, the structure was already partly burned through, with large holes and flames actively lapping from the sides. It looked as though the fire stared in one end and was working its way through to the other end of the trailer.

According to Cooper, the residents said they were using space heaters when they saw smoke coming from inside. When they went to look for the source, the trailer burst into flames.

“They said they had an electric heater and a gas heater going,” Cooper said.

Plains-Paradise Fire brought one engine and a tender, though it did not get used; they were able to tap a hydrant for water to fight the fire. The firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to the garage next to it, though the trailer itself was lost.

There were 14 responders between the two agencies on scene.

There was also a third fire, Wednesday evening, in Paradise. According to Cooper, an electric heater started the fire. Nobody was harmed and there was minimal damage to the structure; Cooper recalled the sheriff’s deputy who was first on scene was able to use a fire extinguisher to start combating the flames before firefighters arrived.

“He probably saved that building by knowing what to do with a fire extinguisher to slow it down,” he said. “He was a great asset to us, he gave us information that we always need when we’re headed to a fire.”

The fire was caused by an electric space heater. It is believed there were clothes hanging nearby that burst into flames.

Two water tenders and two engines responded from Plains-Paradise. There was also an engine from the Plains City as well as a chief’s vehicle. There were 11 firefighters on scene, between the two agencies.

At the time, it was feared there were people inside the building, but it was confirmed there were none. A crew went in with gas masks to search the building and found nobody; the crew was able to find the fire, though, and extinguish it.