Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, November 23, 2015
(MITCHELL) - A Mitchell home was engulfed by a fire Sunday, leaving not much left.
"The structure is still standing but it is pretty well destroyed," says Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Charles Johnson.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the home of Leroy Brown at 3040 Brown Road around Noon on Sunday. The home is being rented by his granddaughter Amanda Hamilton.
When firefighters from Mitchell and Marion VFDs arrived on the scene white smoke was coming from the roof area.
The older home was being remodeled and there had been some electrical issues.
According to Johnson, a breaker had tripped in the fuse box and when the family went to investigate they found some of the wiring had melted and was smoldering and some of the insulation had burned.
"They removed all of that and had called an electrician to come look at it," Johnson says. "That is when they noticed fire coming from the vents in the ceiling vent in a bedroom."
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to that bedroom, but there was smoke and water damage throughout the house.
Then at 9 p.m. on Sunday firefighters were called back to the home after the fire had rekindled. Mitchell VFD responded with five men and two trucks and Marion VFD assisted with six men and two trucks.
"It had spread to the other part of the upstairs," Johnson says. "But we were able to get it knocked down within an hour. It was a difficult fire to fight. It was a very old house with an old wood shingle roof, then multiple layers of shingles and a metal roof on top of all that."
Firefighters were on the scene until early this morning making sure all the hot spots were out.
"Part of the home is still standing but it's a total lose," Johnson added.
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