Morning House Fire At Silver Lake Under Investigation

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By TIFFANY SHAW, Times-Union Staff Writer-

SILVER LAKE - A Silver Lake home was destroyed by fire about 8 a.m. today.

The home, occupied by Erman Owens, was located on CR 100W, southeast of Silver Lake. According to Silver Lake Fire Chief Morris Jones, the house was a total loss.

A railroad conductor driving past the home on his way to work spotted smoke coming from the house and called the fire department.

Flames were coming through the roof of the structure when firefighters arrived.

The fire crews could not stop the fire from consuming the house once flames got between the two layers of the roof, officials said, but the fire was contained to the house. Nine horses in a barn and two rabbits and a pig in a shed were unharmed.

It took the firemen about an hour to get the blaze under control.

The fire crews were not able to begin the search for the cause of the fire by press time. They plan on cleaning up the scene and beginning an investigation this afternoon.

Claypool and Pleasant Township fire departments assisted at the scene. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Squad 70 and the State Fire Marshal will be handling the investigation.

Silver Lake fire crews were delayed on their way to the scene when a train stopped on railroad tracks near Ind. 14. The water trucks were forced to wait more than 10 minutes until the train cleared the tracks. [[In-content Ad]]

SILVER LAKE - A Silver Lake home was destroyed by fire about 8 a.m. today.

The home, occupied by Erman Owens, was located on CR 100W, southeast of Silver Lake. According to Silver Lake Fire Chief Morris Jones, the house was a total loss.

A railroad conductor driving past the home on his way to work spotted smoke coming from the house and called the fire department.

Flames were coming through the roof of the structure when firefighters arrived.

The fire crews could not stop the fire from consuming the house once flames got between the two layers of the roof, officials said, but the fire was contained to the house. Nine horses in a barn and two rabbits and a pig in a shed were unharmed.

It took the firemen about an hour to get the blaze under control.

The fire crews were not able to begin the search for the cause of the fire by press time. They plan on cleaning up the scene and beginning an investigation this afternoon.

Claypool and Pleasant Township fire departments assisted at the scene. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Squad 70 and the State Fire Marshal will be handling the investigation.

Silver Lake fire crews were delayed on their way to the scene when a train stopped on railroad tracks near Ind. 14. The water trucks were forced to wait more than 10 minutes until the train cleared the tracks. [[In-content Ad]]

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