The chief of the Pass Creek fire department says a home that caught fire Friday afternoon on West Arm Road is a “total loss.”
Aaron Bebelman said crews received the report around 12:30 p.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke coming from all of the eaves and heavy fire showing on one of the gable ends.
“Unfortunately with all the snow in and around the property, it was a bit of a challenge for crews to get around the structure itself and get in position,” he says. “We were in waist-deep snow trying to truck around the whole house.”
The fire was under control by about 3:30 p.m., although crews remained on the scene until after 6:30 p.m.
The cause is officially undetermined at the moment, but the homeowner suspects an electric heater plugged into an extension cord is to blame.
There were no injuries. However, the only thing salvaged was a pick-up truck and the clothes the tenant was wearing.
“Once we got into suppression efforts, [the fire] was already in the roof,” Bebelman says. “It limited our chances to get in and salvage.
Bebelman says the recent heavy snow presents an obstacle for firefighting in general. He reminds you to make sure your driveway is clear enough so that equipment can get in and that fire numbers are clear so they can see where they’re going.
“If you can clear a path around the house or shovel the sidewalk, that would things a lot easier,” he says.
