January 29, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Fire Damages Boss Street Home

Fire leaves bad taste in the mouths of area residence

Firefighters battled what appears to be a kitchen fire this evening at 2824 Boss Street. The residence, just north of Fair Park High School, was billowing a pungent smoke that had neighbors gasping and coughing when fire crews arrived. Engine company eight from the department’s Fair Ground’s station was first to arrive on scene at 5:57 p.m. and found flames lapping the side of the home.

Captain Jack Allen entered through the rear door of the home with his crew and fought through dense smoke to reach the fire, which was primarily confined to the kitchen area. Twelve minutes later the fire was out (6:09 p.m.). The fire department then began efforts to remove the smoke, which literally left a bad taste in the mouths of those who witnessed the blaze. The bad smell and taste were not unusual for kitchen fires. According to Fire Captain Kenney, with all of the things that can burn in a home, particularly in the kitchen in the way of food and cleaning products, the smell and taste are something that firefighters deal with on a regular basis.

Besides the bad taste left by the fire, no injuries were reported. The owner of the property, Susie Blake, 52, was not at home at the time of the fire but stated that she shared the home with her two sons, Junior Evans, 32, and Cedric Blake, 21. Evans stated that he was last at the house a few hours before the fire. Some of the area neighbors were also without power because the fire knocked out a transformer. SWEPCO officials were attempting to restore power at the time of this writing.

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