Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — An historical home at 112 E. Gambier St. was destroyed by fire Tuesday afternoon. Built in 1840, the 168-year-old house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wayne Gottke said he has owned the building, which was divided into five apartments, for 11 years. He said it is insured for $500,000.

Tenants in the upstairs apartment noticed smoke coming from the attic and called the Mount Vernon Fire Department at 3:59 p.m.

“I was in our appartment when another resident ... smelled smoke and called the fire department,” said Ben Cook, who lives at 112 E. Gambier St. with his wife, Crista. “We got out OK.”

Mount Vernon Fire Chief Shawn Christy said that when the department arrived, there was smoke coming from around the eaves. His men went inside the second floor, going from room to room, trying to locate the fire in the attic. But the fire soon burned through the roof, burning at such a fast rate that, according to Christy, “the fire found us.”

“The fire was growing so quick, and with the cold, we called for mutual aid from College Township and Fredericktown, which sent engines and firefighters,” said Christy. “Because of the size of the house and the fire, we had two ladder trucks that proved invaluable. Once that fire was venting we went defensive, and had to evacuate all of the firefighters.”

Christy said firefighters did not have enough water.

“On a fire this big, we were pumping thousands of gallons of water per minute,” he said. “The problem is the hydrants are apparently all on the same grid, but still the fire didn’t get away from us.”

Although water was being pumped from several hydrants, all of the hydrants were pulling water from the same pipeline system. Christy said Lee Henthorne, a city water department employee and College Township firefighter who knows the city’s water system, helped sort out the water problem and was a great resource.

Christy said firefighters also had to look after the houses on each side and at the rear of the burning home, concentrating water there so the fire didn’t jump from house to house.

According to Roy Strouse, who owns the 11-unit apartment building on East Street, located to the rear of Gottke’s house, police officers asked everyone to evacuate. Strouse said he got everyone out; residents also moved their cars in the event the fire department needed to use the area.

“I secured the computers and was told to evacuate,” said Scott Pullins, whose office is across the alley to the west of the Watson Office Building.

The dark, billowing smoke drew a number of onlookers to the scene.

“I saw it about an hour ago,” said Josh Stulka around 5 p.m. “At least an hour ago. I saw some smoke from across town and I thought it was some tire smoke, or a semi. So I took a ride from the west end of town. I could easily see it from the west end of town and I’ve been here about 45 minutes now.

“It looked like it started around the chimney,” he said. “It’s been pouring out the rear section. They’ve got three water spouts on it trying to put it out. It looks like the front edge is about to go — and it just did. They’re trying to push it in with their fire hoses, but it’s just too much. It’s just engulfed in smoke. I wouldn’t be surprised if it went down to the second story.”

“When I first got here there was no fire coming out of the roof,” said Mount Vernon resident Jeremy Coey. “Then the fire department and everything was here. Then it started coming out. Since then it’s just gotten worse. I live on Vine Street and I was coming home when I saw it. Actually, I smelled the smoke and I got the kids and brought them over.”

Rob Ulis lives a few doors west of 112 E. Gambier St.

“I heard sirens and walked up to see the house,” he said. “My wife called from across town and said she could see the smoke; there won’t be much left of the house.”

“Initially it looks like it is going to be a total loss,” Christy said in regard to the amount of damage caused by the fire.

Cristy said there was fire all over the inside of the house, and partial collapse of the roof. He said the fire was under control in a little over an hour. The cause of the fire is not known, but is under investigation.

“We just had to work a little slower because there was so much ice around here,” said Christy. “You couldn’t run around. Everything — the ladders, the ground, the roads, the vehicles — were covered with ice, a layer of ice everywhere.”

The air temperature was 25 degrees during the fire.

College Township sent two engines, a ladder truck and 12 firefighters. Fredericktown sent an engine and eight firefighters. While helping the MVFD, Fredericktown responded to a fire call with engine and five firefighters, but it turned out to be a false alarm. The Central Ohio Joint Fire District stood by at the Mount Vernon fire station with a medic, and answered one call.