UPDATED: Family safe after Mount Meridian home catches fire
MOUNT MERIDIAN -- A family escaped injury after a Mount Meridian home caught fire Thursday afternoon.
Area fire departments responded to a residential structure fire at 5699 E. U.S. 40, owned by Lance Morrison, at 3:13 p.m. and remained on scene for nearly three hours.
Capt. Brian Poole said Morrison and his parents noticed smoke in the house and found an active fire in the utility room.
The family was able to get out of the house quickly and without injury.
Upon arrival, Poole said a heavy amount of smoke was coming from the front of the house, with visible flames showing in the rear of the home.
Within an hour, nine area fire departments were on scene helping to battle the blaze. Large billows of smoke were visible from the highway.
Greencastle Fire Department remained on the scene until almost 6 p.m.
"It was a windy day and we were low on manpower," Poole said regarding the length of time spent at the scene.
"It took a while to extinguish the fire. The side the fire was on was close to the wind (direction) and the window and door were open."
Due to the location of the fire, Poole said the dryer was probably the cause of the blaze.
The house is likely a total loss.
Responding departments included Greencastle Fire Department, Cloverdale Township Fire Department, Jefferson Township Fire Department, Fillmore Community Volunteer Fire Department, Floyd Township Fire Department, Washington Township Fire Department, Madison Township Fire Department and Mill Creek Fire District. Bainbridge Community Volunteer Fire Department responded with the rehabilitation truck
"We couldn't have done this safely without everyone there (from other departments) and the good teamwork to try and save this residence," Poole noted.
Poole noted there were no injuries during the course of containing the fire.