Fire causes damage to Hays home

3/4/2013

By DAWNE LEIKER

dleiker@dailynews.net

An early morning fire that resulted in moderate damage to a home at 1911 Holmes Road was attributed to an electrical short in the meter box, according to the Hays Fire Department.

No injuries were reported to occupants of the home, who reported the fire at 3:07 a.m., according to city of Hays Fire Department Chief Gary Brown.

Five fire trucks staffed by five on-duty and 16 recalled career and volunteer firefighters responded to the report. In addition, members of the Hays Police Department and Ellis County Emergency Medical Service supported the fire department.

Firefighters found smoke in the building and, after investigating, discovered a fire burning in the wall in the vicinity of the electrical meter box and electrical arcing at the meter.

"The house was filling up with smoke," Brown said. "We couldn't figure out where it was, but we traced it back to the source of the fire."

Midwest Energy crews responded to shut off power to the building at the utility pole. Firefighters then made an opening in the exterior wall to get access to the fire.

After the fire was extinguished, firefighters made a temporary covering over the exterior wall opening to help protect the building and its contents from the weather.

"In our normal practices, we cover (exposed areas of structure) over," Brown said. "We don't want weather and cold air to get in there, so we try to close it up until they can get some more permanent repairs done."