June 21, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Queensborough Home Damaged by Fire

A Queensborough neighborhood home was heavily damaged by fire this morning around 10:19 a.m. . . .

The home, at 2747 Lillian Street, was heavily involved in smoke and flames when fire crews from the Fair Grounds and Milam Street stations reached the scene. Officials initially thought that someone may have been in the wood-frame home. There were reports from the residence’s lone occupant, Will Jenkins Jr., 23, that his sister may have been in one of the rooms on fire. Jenkins told fire investigators that he was asleep in the home until being awakened by the heavy smell of smoke. When Jenkins went to investigate, he said that his sisters room was fully engulfed in flames. Jenkins said his sister should have normally been at work but wasn’t sure, so he ran outside in an attempt to enter her room through a window but the room’s window air conditioning unit was ablaze and blocked his entrance.

When firefighters entered the structure, they immediately raced through the home to the back bedroom where Jenkins’ sister might have been. After the room was extinguished, no one was found. The entire home was searched as firefighters battled the stubborn blaze that now occupied half of the home and made its way into the attic. It was during this time that the home was given an all clear for finding no victims of the fire. A short time later, at 10:40 a.m. fire officials listed the fire as under control.

Fire investigators are listing the fire as accidental and are attributing its cause as electrical. The home sustained heavy fire and smoke damage throughout. No injuries to firefighters or civilians were reported. ###