A lady checking a smoke condition in the first floor of a raised ranch on Church Road last evening, called her husband to also check the increasing amount of smoke coming from the area of a wood stove. After considering alternatives, such as going out and buying additional fire extinguishers, and after checking an exterior wall and noting ambers, the homeowners wisely decided to call 911.

The Morton Fire Department was dispatched for a chimney fire along with a mutual assistance engine from Hamlin and a RIT engine from Holley. Morton Engine 215 was soon on the scene, took a plug for water supply and advanced a hand line to the rear of the structure. 2C31 completed a size-up and declared a partition fire involving a wood stove. 2C21 assumed command and 2C31 took operations with the assistance from 2C14. 

Morton firefighters manned the hand line and cleaned out the fire in the wood stove. Hamlin fire fighters were directed to open-up the exterior wall around the chimney, as the interior wall was covered with a brick facade. Holley staged in the front of the structure and Rescue 218 set-up lighting.

Upon opening the wall, active fire was found and quickly extinguished. The firefighters and homeowners all agreed that if the fire condition had occurred later in the evening, when the occupants were asleep, a major working fire would have been the result.
 

Story and photo's by Jerry Clement