Whitehouse firefighters battle house fire on Providence Street

Fire broke out about 8 a.m. today at a house at 6940 Providence Street in Whitehouse.

A family asleep when fire broke out at their home in the Lucas County community of Whitehouse escaped injury today; their house, however, was severely damaged with a loss estimated at $200,000 or more, officials said.

The alarm was called in at 8:09 a.m., Whitehouse Deputy Fire Chief Josh Hartbarger said. It started in the garage attached to the two-story structure on Providence Street almost across from the village hall.

A passerby noticed the flames and called 911, said Mayor Angela Kuhn who was at the scene. She said she did not have names of the family members, but said a husband and wife and some children escaped the house. The husband was too distraught to provide much information, she said.

Representatives from the American Red Cross were assisting family members as a backhoe clawed at charred remains of the garage. There was a gaping hole in the middle of the roof on the second story of the structure.

Chief Hartbarger said the blaze was under control by 10:30 a.m. and crews remained at the scene until 2 p.m. He said four people were in the house when the fire started, but no names were being released because it is an ongoing investigation.

A firefighter darted from the house to get equipment, and said in passing that she was trying to save the family‘‍s fish. 

The mayor said there was no information available on the cause.

Whitehouse firefighters were assisted by the city of Waterville’‍s fire department.