Jefferson Township home gutted by fire
JEFFERSON TWP. – Firefighters from six area fire departments battled a fire that gutted a home in Jefferson Township Friday afternoon. Rich Lenk, Grindstone Volunteer Fire Department chief, said that no one was home when the fire began.
Lenk said that the fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived at the residence on Taylor Heights Road around noon.
“It was burning pretty good when we got here,” Lenk said.
He said that while fire crews were able to quickly douse the flames and salvage parts of the building, much of the interior of the home was destroyed.
The state police fire marshal was called to investigate the cause of the blaze.
Lenk said that while firefighters were not sure how the fire began, they believe the blaze started in the kitchen.
He said resident Carly Vandivner was not at the residence when the fire broke out.
Volunteer firefighters cut holes with a chain saw in the roof of the house to ventilate the smoke from inside the residence.
Responding to the fire were volunteer firefighters from North Brownsville, Grindstone, South Brownsville, Perry Township, Dawson and Fayette City.
No firefighters were injured.
Emergency personnel from Brownsville Ambulance also responded.
The American Red Cross said it would be providing food and clothing for Vandivner’s family, which includes a man and two children.