Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A home at 1203 Rozella Road is extensively damaged after a Monday morning fire ripped through the residence. One man was inside the home at the time of the fire but escaped injury thanks to the help of a neighbor.
Around 9:30 a.m. Monday morning, Merlin Graham smelled what he thought was an electrical fire in his Warsaw home.
He discovered a fire in his garage and then closed the garage door behind him. While trying to leave the house, Graham's wheelchair got stuck at the front door, and he was unable to get out of the residence.
Graham's neighbor, Brandon Eiler, saw him and helped Graham move to a safe place.
When fire units arrived, they found a rapidly advancing fire in the garage area of the home. Firefighters quickly moved several fire attack hose lines into the structure to contain and extinguish the fire.
Fire officials reported the blaze under control by 11 a.m. The entire home sustained considerable fire, water and smoke damage. The fire scene is still under investigation today.
No firefighers were injured, but in hot, humid weather like Monday, more precautions are taken to prevent oveheating. Firefighters normally spend 15 minutes in a fire before being relieved. Monday morning, the shifts were reduced to eight to nine minutes. After each shift, firefighters must check in with the medics for water and a mandatory check of their vital signs. Firefighters are not allowed to go back to duty until they are cleared by the medical staff.
The Warsaw Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Winona lake Fire Department with manpower and water supplied tankers. Multi-Township EMS and the American Red Cross were also on the scene.
