Greencastle home damaged in fire Monday

Firefighters knock down a fire at an Ohio Street residence in Greencastle Monday morning. While a pet was lost, no one was injured in the incident.

Banner Graphic/BRAND SELVIA

Though an animal casualty was reported, no one was hurt in a fire that heavily damaged a home in Greencastle Monday morning.

A box alarm was dispatched at about 5:30 a.m. for a structure fire at 409 1/2 Ohio St. Greencastle Fire Chief John Burgess first arrived at the residence and found flames coming from the rear.

Personnel from the Greencastle Fire Department arrived shortly after Burgess and deployed handlines to the backside and the front of the home. The fire was isolated to a bedroom and quickly knocked down. The home was then ventilated.

With Greencastle police and Putnam County EMS also on hand, incoming crews were disregarded as the Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department arrived. Duke Energy arrived to shut off the gas, while personnel were able to cut power from a breaker box.

While the fire was contained to the bedroom, Burgess related significant heat and smoke damage throughout the structure. However, he said the home was not considered a total loss.

“It was really straight up,” Burgess commented about the operation, noting that Greencastle Fire also responded to a motor vehicle incident in the meantime.

Burgess stated that while dogs escaped, a lizard perished in the fire. Them being unhurt, he added that the residents were to stay with relatives.

Burgess said that a cause for the fire was undetermined.

Greencastle Fire was back in service by 7:25 a.m. Meanwhile, the Madison Township Volunteer Fire Department covered Greencastle Fire’s station.

According to Putnam County GIS, the home is listed to Martin Chavez Jr. and Jami Chavez.