BORDERLAND

House fire in E. Toledo leaves 9 homeless

12/24/2013

Nine people, including five children, became homeless Tuesday when an electrical fire damaged their house in East Toledo, authorities said.

No one was injured, Toledo fire Battalion Chief John Kaminski said.

The occupants of the house at 1229 Oak St. had escaped unhurt by the time fire crews arrived about 1:20 a.m. The occupants were alerted to the fire when some of them heard a popping sound coming from a wall and then smelled smoke, Chief Kaminski said.

Crews had the fire under control within 10 minutes. The fire was caused by an electrical short in the wall, Chief Kaminski said. He estimated damage at $2,000.

There were no working smoke detectors in the house, the battalion chief said.

The American Red Cross was at the scene to assist the fire victims.

The official Lucas County auditor’s Web site lists Chicago Title Co. as the owner of the two-story wood frame house. It was built in 1887.