By David Slone
Times-Union
MENTONE — A fire originating in a kitchen caused some heavy damage to an attic in a home on Wednesday southwest side of Palestine Lake.
Burket Fire Department Chief Kevin McSherry said they received the call of a fire at 5717 W. Quail Drive, at 3 p.m.
“The fire originated in the kitchen on the stove and it went up into the attic. There was a heavy fire load in the attic. It burnt some of the rafters completely up,” McSherry said.
No windows or doors were broken, but firefighters had to cut holes in the gable end of the roof on both ends so they could horizontally ventilate the roof.
“There was a lot of heat up there,” McSherry said, with the smoke and heat causing damage on top of the flames.
The resident, James Hurd, was home at the time of the fire. He tried putting the fire out himself, McSherry said. “He will be 80 years old next week. We were concerned about him getting out when he should, but he did.”
Burket received a full assist from the Mentone Fire Department and a tanker assist from Claypool. McSherry estimated they were on the scene for about two hours.
No injuries were reported.
McSherry said Hurd stayed with a friend Wednesday night, and the American Red Cross and his insurance company will reach out to assist him. The Red Cross already called McSherry Thursday morning about Hurd.
