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YFD has three fires within an hour
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
City fire crews were stretched so thin early Wednesday that Chief Barry Firnley responded from his house to command one of three fires.
Beginning about 12:15 a.m., firefighters were called to 445 Salt Springs Road on the West Side. While at that fire, they were called about 12:25 a.m. to nearby 1812 Midland Ave., and about the same time they were called to 861 Parkview Ave. on the South Side.
At the time of the last call, just one engine was available. Firnley went to the Parkview Avenue fire to take command there, and two crews were released from the Midland Avenue fire and one from the Salt Springs Road.
All three homes were vacant. The causes on all of them are listed as “under investigation.” No one was injured in any of the fires.
On Salt Springs Road, crews arrived to find a fire that started in a downstairs living room. Damage there is listed at $14,000, a total loss.
On Midland Avenue, crews found an unlocked door and fire in two different locations, in a pile of debris on the other side of the front door and at the base of the basement steps. Damage there is listed at $1,000.
On Parkview Avenue, the first arriving crew found heavy fire in the back of the home. As the flames spread, firefighters were pulled out of the home when fire began shooting through the roof and other nearby homes were protected.
Damage there is listed at $6,750, a total loss.
Fire Investigator Capt. Kurt Wright said the first two fires are related to a string of arsons earlier this year at other vacant homes on the lower West Side. He said he does have a couple of suspects in those fires.