PIQUA — Firefighters extinguished a house fire that spread to a neighboring home in Piqua on Monday.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00 & 11:00, the fire was reported in the 420 block of South Downing Street in Piqua after 4 p.m.
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Piqua Fire Department Captain John Minton said firefighters found two houses on fire when they arrived on scene.
Fire crews believe the flames started in one house and spread to the other; however, it is unclear which house the fire started in.
Cameron Ridenour was on his way home from the store when he saw the big cloud of smoke.
“I pulled over and then started calling 911, started banging on doors, trying to get people out,” he said.
Ridenour said he looked up to see where the fire was coming from.
“It was real heavy on the top of 423 (S Downing Street), over here and then it started to spread over to 425 (S Downing Street),” he said.
News Center 7 crews on scene saw the siding of the blue home melted down.
“They said that they were sleeping downstairs. And then I don’t think anybody next door noticed either,” Ridenour said.
Minton said everyone was able to escape the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Firefighters rescued one dog from one of the homes.
The freezing temperatures did cause problems for crews on scene.
“You know, handlines freeze, the water supply, things like that. And also the safety hazard, the water freezes on the street and creates a hazard... so it’s difficult,” Minton said.
Fire crews are working to determine how the fire started and which house it started in.
We will continue to follow this story.
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