Firefighters have busy Sunday

July 16, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

youngstown

Firefighters responded to seven house fires Sunday and early Monday, six of them on the South Side.

Crews were called first to a vacant 167 Hilton Ave. home about 12:25 a.m. Sunday, which was allowed to burn because the structure was too unsafe to allow firefighters to get inside. Damage is listed at $6,940, and the cause is under investigation.

At 4:52 a.m., crews were called to a vacant 137 E. Judson Ave. house, where they found fire on the side of the home and managed to put it out. Reports said it appeared the blaze started by a side door on the first floor and traveled upward. Damage was listed at $2,000. No one was injured.

As crews were returning from that fire, they saw smoke at a vacant home at 54 E. Avondale Ave. and discovered a fire on the first floor. Firefighters found a basement window and a back door were open. Damage is listed at $1,000. The cause is under investigation, and no one was injured.

At 8:25 p.m., fire was reported at a 540 Idora Ave. home where the owner told firefighters the fire was started on the second floor by her grandson, who was playing with a lighter. The fire was contained to a hallway and second floor room. Damage was listed at $3,000, and the cause was ruled accidental. No one was injured.

About 12:51 a.m. Monday, crews were called to a vacant home at 17 Park Heights Ave. on the East Side, where arson was ruled as the cause. Damage is listed at $7,000, and there were no injuries.

At 3:26 a.m., crews were called to a 38 Brooklyn Ave. home and while that fire was going on, a call came in for a fire at 3014 Southern Blvd. Both of those homes also are vacant. The home on Brooklyn Avenue was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, and efforts instead were made to protect nearby homes. Damage is listed at $3,000.

Firefighters managed to contain the blaze on Southern Boulevard. Damage there is listed at $8,000. A firefighter there suffered second-degree burns.

Capt. Alvin Ware of the department said all of the fires at the vacant homes are suspicious.