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Firefighters tackle blaze at Beyond Homeless Tuesday
Firefighters’ quick actions meant damage was limited in a fire at Beyond Homeless in Greencastle Tuesday evening.
The Greencastle Fire Department was initially dispatched to the shelter for a fire alarm and responded with an engine. Upon arrival, firefighters were advised by a staff member that a room was on fire. A box alarm was called at about 8:10 p.m., while personnel arrived in Greencastle Fire’s other engine.
Firefighters entered the building on one side and found tubing and a power cord connected to a medical oxygen machine burning. However, after putting out this fire with an extinguisher, they entered a room and found two mattresses engulfed, with the flames almost touching the ceiling.
As they first hit this blaze with the extinguisher, a line was deployed through the side entryway as water was fed from a hydrant. The Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene for manpower as the box alarm was struck.
The fire was confirmed as out at about 8:30 p.m. Firefighters knocked out parts of the affected room’s ceiling and drywall to check for extensions, while the building was ventilated through the side entryway and one at the front due to the smoke.
“If it wasn’t for the alarm system, the quick action by the staff working here and the response of the fire department, it could’ve been a whole lot worse than what it was,” Greencastle Fire Capt. Kenny Shepherd said at the scene.
Putnam County EMS was also present, while the Bainbridge Volunteer Fire Department covered Greencastle Fire’s station. Meanwhile, the Greencastle Police Department directed traffic control.
Shepherd related that the fire outside the room appeared to have spread from there to the mattresses. As such, it was ruled as accidental.
With Cloverdale Township Fire having been released from the scene, command was terminated at about 9:30 p.m.
With no injuries reported, all of the shelter’s residents were accounted for and lodging was found at a hotel.