The Williamson Fire Department battled the elements for 12 hours to control a fire in the city Monday.
The call came into the fire station Monday at 5:13 am of a report of a structure fire at 524 Elm Street located at the top of Reservation Hill. The stone house had smoke coming from the eaves when firefighters arrived.
The home is owned by the Grace Baptist Temple Church of West Williamson and was occupied by Pastor Ron Sanger and his wife Judy.
As the WFD began working to extinguish the structure fire, they deployed a second engine company to keep the fire from spreading to the house next door.
While firefighters battled the blaze in the interior of the house, a buildup of superheated smoke and gases in the upper floors of the structure ignited in what Chief Mounts described as a flashover.
The flashover occurred when these gases ignited, creating a fireball which forced one firefighter, Lt. J. Casey, to dive headfirst down a stairway to escape the flames. A firehose and specialized nozzle were lost during the flashover.
“This fire presented a very real challenge to the members of the Department,” Chief Mounts said. “The very narrow road, houses in very close proximity to each other, and the arctic like weather conditions were just a few.”
Firefighters remained on the scene for more than 12 hours.
“The men responded and performed unbelievably well. Even their efforts to stay with it and make sure every ember was fully extinguished in order to prevent any rekindle before heading home,” Mounts said.
The structure contents are listed as a total loss. The cause of the fire is undetermined.