SECHRIST LAKE - A pile of burned leaves caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to three homes on Sechrist Lake Friday afternoon.
According to Jeremy Likens, North Webster Fire Department chief, an unidentified homeowner was burning a pile of leaves, thought they had stopped burning, then left them along Sullivan Road located just off Sechrist Lake.Fire crews were dispatched at 2:08 p.m. Friday.
Though the change in weather brought 80-degree temperatures, it also brought windy conditions that caused the fire to spread and made it hard for firefighters to deal with the flames.
The names of the homeowners were not available as of Friday night. The address of the homes are 4259, 4261 and 4263 North Sullivan Road.
All three homes were summer cottages. Likens was attempting to contact the homeowners Friday evening.
Two of the homes were considered a total loss.
Elona Adne, who also lives in the neighborhood, said that those homes were some that were affected by a tornado that struck five years ago. Adne said one of the homes destroyed in Friday's blaze was a rebuild of a home destroyed by the tornado.
Firefighters were called on scene for more than three hours and it took an hour for crews to get the blaze under control.
North Webster Fire Department was assisted by Plain Township, with assistance by the Pierceton and Syracuse fire departments.
