Burton Fire District responded to a house fire just before the Thanksgiving holiday in what fire officials state was a particularly tragic event.
On Friday, November 21 just before 9 a.m., Burton firefighters were called to the scene of a house fire in the 300 block of Bruce K Smalls. Fire crews from the Grays Hill fire station arrived on scene in less than five minutes and found heavy smoke coming from the home. It was unknown if anyone was inside.
Burton Fire Lieutenant Tradd Mills was one of the first firefighters on scene and quickly noted children’s toys on the front porch. “That was particularly unnerving,” stated Mills. “The house is on fire, you don’t know if anyone’s inside, and see children’s toys on the front porch. We knew we had to get inside quick.”
Mills and his crew had to force the locked front door and did a search inside rapidly deteriorating home. Once the home was searched and found clear, firefighters engaged the fire which was starting to break through the roof. The family dog was rescued by firefighters.
The family had just left for the day and was dropping their children off at school when the fire broke out. The home was heavily damaged in the fire with the family losing virtually everything.
“Every fire we respond to is a sad event, but this fire being just before the holidays and in the home of children made it a bit more tragic,” stated Mills.
The cause of the fire is believed to involve improper use of electrical cords.
