Photo and story by John Spaulding
Firefighters responded to a Fourth of July fire that destroyed a LeRoy (NY) farmhouse that was built in 1806. One resident had to be restrained by officers from trying to save the family dog from the fire.
LeRoy Fire Chief Tom Wood said it appears that the preliminary area of origin was on the rear porch and possibly due to a defective battery charger, although a complete investigation is being conducted.
According to Chief Wood, during the initial attack of the fire, part of a ceiling collapsed and necessitated the withdrawal of interior firefighters, forcing companies to work from the exterior only.
A loud explosion from within the home knocked a firefighter down as he attempted to make entry into the structure. Firefighters also encountered several large LPG gas containers on the east side of the building that posed a hazard–one was a on fire the others moved away by firefighters.
Another significant issue was that there were no fire hydrants in the area, requiring a tanker shuttle to used. Twelve fire companies from three counties were on scene bringing water from a hydrants and a creek, both about a mile away. At one point companies completely ran out of water, halting fire suppression altogether.
A family of two adults and three children were displaced and are accepting resources from the Red Cross. All of the family possessions were destroyed in the fire.
See additional photos of this fire HERE.
Read further details about this fire at http://on.rocne.ws/1lNKBKz.
