Firefighter Injured while Fighting Chapman Lake Fire
Posted
Kaitie Vanderpool-
One Plain Township/Leesburg firefighter was injured while fighting a fire at a Chapman Lake resident Saturday night, though the residents were not home at the time of the incident. The firefighter was treated by Multi-Township EMS at the scene. According to a press release, Leesburg fire officials responded just before 8 p.m. Saturday to 78 EMS C29A Lane, Leesburg, and found heavy fire involvement in the basement area of the resident. The flames extended to the second story of the home. Smoke was visible for more than one mile and Leesburg Fire officers requested an assist from Warsaw/Wayne Township Fire Territory and additional assistance from Milford and Winona Lake Fire Departments. The release stated that it was determined early on in the blaze that a natural gas line within the structure had severed and was fueling the flames, making extinguishment difficult. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. provided an excavation crew to dig up the gas supply line at the residence and shut off the gas flow. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but members from the Fire Investigation Team of Kosciusko County, along with fire officers at Plain Township/Leesburg Fire Department believe the fire started in a service area of the basement, fueled by the natural gas. There was extensive damage to the home and the residents, while not home at the time of the incident, did lose a family pet in the fire.
