Fire crews kept busy overnight with multiple blazes

7/13/2013

Toledo firefighters were busy overnight, reporting that they responded to three fires within a six-hour period that caused a collective $31,000 in damages.

During one fire at about 4:30 a.m. today at 356 Richardson Dr., fire crews had to rescue a man off the roof who got stuck on the roof after climbing up the house and breaking through a window to try to get in and rescue potential victims, said Fire Lt. Matt Hertzfeld.

Lieutenant Hertzfeld said crews brought the man down with a ladder, and he was transported to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center for minor injuries suffered when he broke the window. Lieutenant Hertzfeld said the home's occupants evacuated without injury.

The fire caused $5,000 in damage and was ruled accidental, after someone placed an unidentified hot object near combustibles, he said.

In a fire about 45 minutes earlier at 357 E. Park St., the Lucas County Dog Warden responded and removed two large dogs from the back yard. No one was home at the time of the fire, which Lieutenant Hertzfeld said was in the basement area and caused $25,000 in damage.

The Park Street fire remains under investigation.

Lieutenant Hertzfeld said there were no working fire alarms to wake the occupants of the Richardson Street home, and said residents of Toledo can stop at any of the city's fire station and receive a free smoke alarm.

Firefighters put out a third fire at 1336 Prouty Ave. that caused $1,000 in damage. That fire was ruled an arson, Lieutenant Hertzfeld said. The home is occupied, he said, but he did not know if the occupant or occupants was home at the time of the fire.