July 19, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

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

Firefighters Battle Afternoon Blaze

Firefighters spent 30 minutes this afternoon battling a house fire at 2420 Highland Avenue. The fire was reported shortly before noon at11:50 a.m. By the time fire crews from the department’s Stoner and Wilkinson Avenue stations arrived at the scene, fire and thick, black smoke was pouring from the front windows and eves of the structure. Firefighters attacked the fire through the front door of the single story wood-frame home and, not knowing if the residence was occupied, made a rapid search of the premises. No one was found. The fire appears to have been confined to the front of the home, damaging a bedroom, living room, and front porch. Fire officials listed the blaze under control at 12:20 p.m.

Two children were at home prior to the blaze. Dana Washington, 18, and Carver Washington, 11, told fire officials that a curtain in the front room of the home had caught on fire. The youngest child said that the curtain was over an electrical outlet, possibly starting the blaze. Fire investigators have not released an official cause of the fire and were still on the scene at the time of this release. ###