BLOOMINGTON – On Wednesday, March 20th, firefighters responded to Boltinghouse Road after a report of a structural fire involving two homes.
Monroe Fire Protection District Engines 25, 24, 22, 81, and Battalion 22 were dispatched just before 2 a.m.
While units were responding to the scene, additional information was received, such as that the neighbor’s house was also on fire. Battalion 22 requested Engines 29 and 71 be added to the call. Engines 25 and 24 arrived at the scene, reporting heavy fire coming from the back of both homes and immediately began fire attack operations.
As firefighters worked on extinguishment, a medium-sized propane tank was found against one of the homes, and off-gas fed the fire. Crews began to work on cooling the propane tank as additional firefighters arrived and began fire attack operations on the second house.
Water shuttle operations were set up, and Engine 3 was added to the call for additional water and personnel, including Tender 25.
Firefighters fought both house fires for approximately an hour before both were knocked down and contained. Both houses suffered significant damage.
The homeowners of one house were home at the time of the fire and reported waking up to their smoke alarms going off and finding the house full of smoke. They immediately evacuated and called 911.
The second homeowner was not home at the time of the fire. Three cats were in one house and one in the other, and unfortunately, all the cats perished in the fire.
Fire investigators ruled the fire accidental and determined it was started by discarded chimney ashes that were still hot. The ashes caught leaves on fire, then spread along a fence line between the two homes before spreading out, catching both houses on fire.
MFD was assisted on the scene by Ellettsville Fire Department, City of Bloomington, IN-Fire Department, IU Health Lifeline Ambulance Service, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, and Southern Indiana REMC.
