While they are ready with water if needed, the IVFD did not have to use water on a call to the home at 1219 Court Street Sunday afternoon. A pan of grease left on the stove caused smoke damage, however. (Johnson Publications photo)
Firefighters haul in the ventilation fan that helped to clear the home of smoke. (Johnson Publications photo)
House sustains smoke damage in Sunday afternoon fire
Officers with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department (IVFD) believe a couple more minutes may have been the difference between just smoke damage and a lot worse after a Sunday afternoon fire call.
Firefighters were called to the home at 1219 Court Street about 12:30 p.m. on a report of a structure fire.
When they arrived, IVFD 2nd Asst. Chief Kelsey Weiss said it appeared a pan of grease had been left on the stove in the home of Cory Stelling. The pan had been moved to the sink, he said, and any fire was out.
However, the fire had burned up the wall and into the microwave above. The melted plastic in the microwave was the main cause of the smoke, Weiss said.
Firefighters did not have to use any water, he said, and once they discovered the problem and the fire was out, they moved in the department’s large fan to ventilate the home.
“There’s pretty extensive smoke damage,” Weiss said.