Local woman, child escape Chestnut St. home fire

COLUMBUS, Ind. – A Columbus woman and her child survived a Chestnut Street fire on Tuesday morning. Several cats perished in the blaze, and now investigators are working to identify the cause.

Columbus firefighters were called to 1462 Chestnut St. at 10 a.m. The Columbus Police Department (CPD) was first on the scene and reported to dispatchers that the front of the residence was fully involved in flames.

When the Columbus Fire Department (CFD) arrived, heavy fire was pushing out of the front of the single-story home, and the vinyl siding on the house next door was beginning to melt. Crews began attacking the flames from the exterior of the home with one water stream focused on the 1462 Chestnut Street fire and an additional line cooling the siding at the neighboring residence.

Firefighters entered the home to search for possible occupants, but found no one. They did locate several deceased cats. The blaze was brought under control within minutes. The residents were at a home in the 1500 block of Chestnut Street and were uninjured. CFD continued to extinguish hot spots for an additional 25 minutes.

Investigators spoke with the occupants, an adult woman and her child. The mother said she was in the kitchen when she noticed a smoke odor. She then turned her head and saw thick smoke and flames in the living room. The woman said she tried to pour a pitcher of water on the fire but had to retreat because the smoke and heat were intensifying so quickly.

She and her child escaped the rear door of the home and ran to a neighbor’s house to report the fire and call 9-1-1. The woman and her child were assessed by emergency medical technicians who arrived at the scene and found them to be unhurt.

Damage to the home was extensive, with property damage estimated at over $60,000 at the 1462 Chestnut Street rental property. The damage estimate to the neighboring residence was about $2000.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No injuries were reported at the scene.

CFD and CPD contacted the American Red Cross to request shelter assistance for the family.