Fire destroys Groefsema Road home

Thursday, December 3, 2009
When fire crews arrived early Sunday morning the home was fully involved in flame.

Fire crews were busy this week, responding to five calls, including a double-wide trailer that was totally destroyed.

Crews were paged out at 2 a.m. on Nov. 29 to a report of a fire at a double-wide trailer on Groefsema Road. Upon arrival, they found the trailer fully involved in flame. It took firefighters nearly 30 minutes to knock the flames down and another 90 minutes to make sure the fire was completely out.

The renter of the trailer, who was not identified, was not home at the time, having left several days before on vacation.

The cause of the fire is unknown. Damage was estimated at $10,000.

On Nov. 28, crews received a call at 2:15 p.m. to respond to a fire at 1285 SW Rolling Hills where a candle left burning on a counter in a bathroom sparked a fire that caused $10,000 damage to the bathroom, as well as smoke damage to much of the house.

Fire Chief Phil Gridley said the owner of the home had closed the door to the large bathroom, which helped contain the fire. Because of the smoke damage and the fact power had to be cut to the house, firemen assisted the homeowner with their burnout fund to pay for a few days stay in a motel room while repairs were made.

The woman who lived at the home, who was not identified, and her grandson were both in the home at the time of the fire, but were not harmed.

Nov. 29 fire crews responded to a fire caused by unattended cooking at the Northpark apartments, which caused an estimated $2,500 in damage. The occupants of the apartment had put out the fire by the time firemen arrived.

Also on Nov. 29, firefighters responded to a report of a fire at 1250 E. 5th North St. Smoke from burning toast had set off an ADT fire alarm and the owner of the home could not recall the code to stop the call.

Firemen also put out a vehicle fire in a fully loaded fuel truck on South Main Street, across from Adrian's, on Nov. 25. The fire, called in at about 6 p.m., was contained to the engine compartment of the truck.

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