Flames shooting as far as 80 feet into the air consumed a residence at 109 Yates St. on Monday, Sept. 12.
The home and its contests were a total loss. Firefighters from all four Franklin County fire departments joined forces to fight the fire and kept it from spreading to nearby homes. The fire was so hot, even the telephone pole next to the street was burning. Several people have questioned the procedures utilized by the fire department in fighting this fire. According to Jeremy Cox with the Mount Vernon Volunteer Fire Department when two engines arrive at the scene at the same time, the first engine which is carrying 1,000 gallons of water, immediately begins applying water from its tank directly to any structures that may be in danger. The second engine connects to the nearest water hydrant and then lays a supply line to the first engine. “This allows us to get water on the fire without any delays,” Mr. Cox said. For more details about the event, see the September 15 edition of the Mount Vernon Optic-Herald.
