Wednesday, December 24, 2008
A Warren duplex fire caused $35,000 in damage.
STAFF report
WARREN — Three more fires hit residences in Brookfield, Warren and Champion on Monday night on the heels of a house fire in Warren Township early Monday.
The rash of displaced fire victims has put stress on the Trumbull/Mercer counties chapter of the America Red Cross, said Christina Gargas, interim executive director of the chapter.
The chapter last week announced it was facing a $250,000 budget deficit and had reduced its staff.
Gargas said it was busy Monday providing assistance to four families in one 24-hour period.
A fire in a mobile home on East Park Drive in Brookfield at 10:33 p.m. displaced three adults, one of whom was treated at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
Gargas said the Red Cross provided food, clothing, shelter and seasonal garments such as coats to the three people. The Brookfield Township Fire Department could not be reached for more information.
Meanwhile, four members of a Champion family were able to get into their house Tuesday and begin to clean up after a fire at 10:30 p.m. Monday at 720 Virgina Avenue. The Red Cross provided food to the family, Gargas said.
Lt. Matt Balut of the Champion Fire Department said there were no injuries, but the fire caused about $10,000 in damage. The fire started in the attic, the result of an unspecified electrical problem, Balut said.
In Warren, firefighters were called to 1592 Edgehill Ave. S.E. at 1:32 a.m. Tuesday for a fire in one half of a side-by-side duplex. The fire was caused by a unattended candle burning in a bedroom.
The fire caused about $25,000 damage to the duplex and $10,000 damage to the contents. There was no damage to the other half of the home.
Patricia Gilliam, occupant of the half that was damaged, escaped unhurt. She received food, clothing and seasonal clothing from the Red Cross.
The day started badly for Gregory and Cheryl Olney of North River Road in Warren Township, whose house sustained $75,000 in damage in a 3:45 a.m. fire that began in a garage.
The Red Cross provided food, clothing and seasonal garments to the Olneys, Gargas said.
Charles Wern III, vice chairman of the local Red Cross chapter, said board members reduced staffing from nine to 5.5 because of the budget deficit, but he doesn’t believe there will be any drop-off in the services the agency can offer.
The agency didn’t eliminate any departments or services, but it reorganized and cross-trained staff members to handle all tasks, he said.
Wern said there appears to be an increasing demand for Red Cross disaster services and a reduction in donations being provided to the Red Cross — the same reduction most nonprofit organizations have experienced in 2008.