FREDERICKTOWN — A fire overnight destroyed a home northwest of Fredericktown.
The Fredericktown Community Fire District was dispatched to 18214 Kraft Mill Road shortly after 8 p.m., when the home’s tenant, Tim Lanning, noticed smoke and flames.
According to Fredericktown Fire Chief Scott Mast, members of Lanning’s family noticed electrical problems with a circuit braker shortly before the fire was discovered in the attic of the home, leading Mast to conclude the fire was probably caused by an electrical problem.
When Mast arrived on the scene, the fire had spread throughout several attic spaces of the home, and family members had been evacuated.
“The fire had moved through multiple roof lines of several attics, but it all stayed in the ceiling,” Mast described. “There was smoke showing from the attic, and the second story windows had smoke pouring out.”
Fredericktown responded with an engine, rescue and a tanker, and two grass trucks. Mutual aid was called from Bellville and Johnsville.
Although the blaze was contained in the home’s attic, the home is a total loss, Mast said.
The home is owned by Shirley Burgett.
The family declined assistance from the Red Cross. One firefighter was transported from the scene for treatment of medical problems developed during the fire.
The FCFD returned to the scene this morning to extinguish a flare-up.
