Monday, January 4th, 2010
Fire damages Celina home, belongings
By Margie Wuebker
Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard
Caution tape surrounds the home of Vanessa Wallace, 210 S. Brandon Ave., Celina, following a Saturday night fire that took a heavy toll on the structure as well as the contents. Celina Fire Chief Doug Wolters believes the blaze was electrical in nature.
Celina Fire Department responded to the scene of a Saturday night fire that heavily damaged a local house and destroyed most of the contents.
A neighbor called 911 after spotting smoke coming from the home of Vanessa Wallace, 210 S. Brandon Ave. The unidentified caller also reported seeing some type of light in the basement.
Fire Chief Doug Wolters told The Daily Standard that firefighters found flames and smoke in the attic, throughout the first floor and in the basement upon arriving at the scene shortly after 11 p.m.
No one was home at the time the fire broke out, but Wallace returned home while firefighters were on the scene.
Wolters believes the cause of the fire was possibly electrical in nature. It apparently started in the area of a fuse panel in the kitchen area. The investigation is continuing.
Firefighters had to do some overhaul work in order to access flames in the attic. However, frigid temperatures caused water from the hoses to freeze on the sidewalk and street. The application of salt quickly remedied the situation.
Neither Wallace nor her landlords Ken and Betty Werling of Celina had insurance, according to fire department reports. Wallace is currently residing with relatives and an American Red Cross representative came to the scene to ascertain her needs. No dollar loss has been set at this time, according to Wolters.
Fourteen firefighters and two trucks remained at the location for nearly 41/2 hours.
