Warsaw Fire Department responded to a house fire this morning with a possible child not breathing.
The home, at 321 N. Cook St., Warsaw, was a total loss, with damages estimated at $150,000, plus the contents of the home.
There were no serious injuries reported, but the mother and a young child were in the home at the time of the fire and were transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital. The child was later transported via helicopter to an unknown Fort Wayne hospital for precautionary reasons.
WFD responded at 8:50 a.m. to the home. Shortly after 9 a.m., the home was fully engulfed and firefighters were working to contain the fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and pending an investigation.
“The fire seems to be contained to the kitchen, then it spread to the attic and the whole house,” said Warsaw Fire Chief Mike Brubaker.
Holes were cut in the roof for ventilation, and firefighters continued to battle the fire.
At one point after the fire seemed to be under control, the fire erupted and the horns on the fire trucks alarmed the firefighters to get out of the building.
“When fighting fires in these old homes it can be difficult,” Brubaker said. “There is a false ceiling and plaster and lath on the walls. When the alarm went off it was telling the firefighters to get out of the home because there was too much heat in the attic and it was unsafe.”
At 9:45 a.m., dispatch informed Brubaker that there was another call for a fire at 527 E. Winona Ave., Warsaw.
Since the fire on Cook Street at that time was under control, Brubaker sent the ladder truck, as well as the Leesburg Fire Department and Winona Lake Fire Department, to Lee Brothers Paint and Carpet.
Dispatch informed crews that there was smoke filling up inside the business. Within minutes, the crews were on scene and had evacuated the building and began to search for the cause of the smoke.
WLFD Chief Mitch Titus said that the cause of the smoke was a furnace malfunction on the roof of the building.
Shortly after the incident on Winona Avenue was sorted out, WFD and WLFD firefighters made their way back to the Cook Street fire.
As of 10:30 this morning, fire crews from WFD and Winona Lake Fire Department were on scene trying to locate hot pockets and put them out.
Winona Lake, Claypool and Pierceton fire departments all sent personnel to the scene to assist. Multi-Township EMS also assisted. Claypool has Silver Lake and Burket fire departments on standby to cover their territory.
American Red Cross was called and are helping with arrangements for the family. Additionally, 1-800-BOARDUP was called to assess the home.
