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Alarms save man, granddaughter
Chief says fire alarms saved man and granddaughter
Fire alarms probably saved the lives of Ronald Wolfe and his granddaughter early Monday, Champion Fire Chief John Hickey said.
By Ed Runyan
CHAMPION
Smoke alarms probably saved the lives of Ronald Wolfe and his granddaughter at 6270 Mahoning Ave. NW early Monday, Champion Fire Chief John Hickey said.
“If they hadn’t used smoke detectors, I guarantee we’d be looking at two fatalities with as fast as the fire moved through that house,” Hickey said.
The chief was the first firefighter at the scene, driving from his home not far away in Bristol Township to the house just north of Champion High School.
When Hickey arrived at the 3:50 a.m. blaze, Wolfe and his granddaughter already had made it out, but the southern half of the structure was fully involved in flames.
Hickey assessed the scene for the first Champion firetruck that arrived at 3:57 a.m., directing fire-fighters to focus on keeping safe the Champion Day School day care just a few feet to the north of the house.
With the exception of a broken window and some smoke damage, the department accomplished that, despite a problem with a frozen fire hydrant.
In attempting to open the hydrant valve, the “yoke” broke, meaning the water couldn’t be accessed, so 2,000 gallons of water in two fire engines were used until a Warren Township truck accessed a hydrant about 500 feet from the fire, Hickey said.
Bazetta Township firefighters also assisted.
The day care, which is owned by Ronald Wolfe Jr., the homeowner’s son, was closed Monday but reopened Tuesday.
Mahoning Avenue from Airport Road to state Route 305 also was closed for several hours because of fire hoses that were extending across the road to the hydrants. The county repaired the hydrant Monday, Hickey said.
“The house was too far gone” to enter it, Hickey said. “Our main goal at that point was to protect the day care. You hate to lose a house, but it could have been a lot worse. Nobody got hurt. Everybody got out.”
The house was a complete loss, estimated at $150,000 to $200,000.
The fire apparently started on the south end of the house, where the attached garage is, but firefighters have not determined a cause, Hick said, adding that the Ohio State Fire Marshal is assisting with the investigation.