Two homes, multiple pets lost in Roseville fires
ROSEVILLE — Firefighters from South Zanesville and eight other agencies fought multiple house fires that spread Thursday in the 200 block of Washington Street.
South Zanesville Fire Chief Russell Taylor said his crews responded to a house fire that began just before 11 a.m. at 285 Washington, which he said was fully involved upon their arrival.
The dry and windy conditions eventually helped it spread to homes at 291 and 293 Washington. Area crews fought the blazes for most of six hours before returning to station around 5 p.m., Taylor said.
Low water supply forced Taylor, who was commander at the scene at the request of the Roseville Volunteer Fire Department, to deploy the Muskingum County Tanker Task Force. Resources from nearby Perry County were also activated.
"Some hydrants didn't work, and some were working and not putting out much," Taylor said. "It's a danger time (for fires) because it's dry and grass is crispy. It's not 'red alert,' but everything has gone dry and the problem there was water supply."
The homes at 285 and 291 were deemed total losses, while the home at 293 received moderate damage. Two adults and a grandchild were in the 285 home at the time of the fire, while a male and two females were in 291. The structure at 293 included three adults and six children.
"The lady (at 285) told us she was watching TV, then the TV flickered," Taylor explained. "She smelled smoke like something was burning, and the bedroom wall was on fire and it spread."
No residents were injured, but several pets, mostly cats, were lost, Taylor said. In addition, a firefighter suffered minor injuries as the result of a trip hazard.
Zemba Brothers had already began cleanup of the sites on Thursday evening, due to the danger at the site. The Village of Roseville is recommending a boil advisory, due to the amount of water used on Thursday.
Taylor said no foul play is suspected, although the incident remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. The residents at 285 and 291 "lost everything," Taylor said.
The continued run of dry, windy conditions are only adding to the local fire risk, Taylor said. He said residents should use common sense more than ever, such as avoiding the use of too many extension cords and keeping up on maintenance.
Taylor said it was the biggest fire, in terms of intensity and fire load, that his crew had fought in some time. He's hoping it's not a sign of things to come, but the weather conditions aren't helping.
"We have only had a few (fires), but when they come, they come hard," Taylor said.
sblackbu@gannett.com; Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Two homes, multiple pets lost in Roseville, Ohio fires
