Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PIERCETON - Two Pierceton firemen suffered minor injuries fighting a fire that damaged a funeral home Sunday night.
McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel in Pierceton reported moderate damage after a fire that investigators say began in an upstairs apartment.
Tony Himes was treated at Kosciusko Community Hospital for injured ribs when he fell down a stairway. Harold Barker was treated for hyperventilation.
Pierceton Fire Department responded to the fire call at 10:21 p.m. and had the fire under control with 20 minutes. Assisting at the scene were North Webster, Winona Lake and Warsaw fire departments.
Pierceton Fire Lt. Jerry A. Kreger said the fire apparently started in an electrical bathroom ceiling fan in the upstairs apartment.
Gale Herendeen, who lived in the apartment, was cleaning downstairs in the funeral home and said he saw lights flicker while vacuuming in the viewing area. He sent his wife up to the apartment to unplug the Christmas tree, and she found the apartment full of smoke.
He went to a neighbor's house to call the fire department, but the owner of the house called police because he thought Herendeen was trying to break in to his house. The Pierceton Police Department responded and then called the fire department.
The funeral home reported smoke damage through the entire building and inventory. Minimal water damage was also reported, but everything is said to be repairable.
