Toledo house burns twice in 4 days

7/12/2012
BLADE STAFF

The Toledo Fire Department will ask the city to consider listing a North Toledo home that has burned twice in the past four days as a “code red” property.

An early-morning fire at 14 Kenilworth Ave. was reported at 1:15 today, with the building fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived.

Because crews found multiple points of origin and the property smelled of gasoline, the fire has been ruled an arson, said fire Capt. John Kaminski.

No injuries were reported and no arrests have been made. Damage was estimated at $22,000.

Hours later, crews were sent back to the house for “trapped smoke.”

On Monday, crews put out a house fire there, which was ultimately found to be electrical in nature, the captain said.

Damage was estimated at $15,000.

If the structure is listed as a code red property, fire crews will not go into the building unless someone is trapped inside, Captain Kaminski said.

The captain said holes were found in the stairs, but it’s unknown if they were a result of the fire, part of an renovation the house was apparently undergoing, or if the stairs were intentionally damaged to harm firefighters.

The two-story house, built in 1917, is owned by Cierra Wilson, of Toledo, according to Lucas County Auditor records.