MOUNT VERNON — A small, two-bedroom frame home just off Harcourt Road was destroyed by fire early today. When the Mount Vernon Fire Department received the call at 11:56 p.m. Sunday, it was reported the house at 611 Smith St. was fully involved in flames.
The department immediately called for mutual aid from Centerburg Joint Fire District, which sent an engine and five firefighters. Mount Vernon responded with eight men and two trucks. A hydrant at the corner of Harcourt Road and Crystal Avenue was only a short distance from the fire, and was used in firefighting efforts.
The parents and three children in the Hernando Ruiz family escaped without injury. The home is a rental property owned by Shareth Property Sales LLC. George A. Small Jr., a managing member of Shareth Property Sales, said the home had been renovated two years ago; improvements included a new roof. He estimated the loss at $75,000.
Firefighters worked in 24 degree temperatures with a wind chill of 4 degrees. Firefighters stayed on the scene until 2:40 a.m. The fire is still under investigation. No one was injured.
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