House a ‘total loss’ following chimney fire in northern Butler County
Officials said a three-alarm house fire Friday, Dec. 5, along Eakin Road in Venango Township destroyed the structure, but reported no injuries.
The residents and their pets evacuated as emergency crews were dispatched at 10:38 a.m. for a fire in the chimney of 193 Eakin Road.
Dale Sellers, chief of Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department, said he called for a second alarm as soon as he arrived and saw heavy smoke with flames protruding from the top of the chimney shortly after 10:40 a.m.
With only three firefighters available, Sellers said his team began “attacking” the fire from the outside. He said his crew quickly ran out of water and had to wait for more to arrive.
“You got to wait for trucks to come (from) 15 miles away to get water,” Sellers said.
Most of the responding fire departments had only two or three firefighters available, so Sellers called a third alarm and waited for help to arrive before sending firefighters inside.
“It makes it more challenging when you don’t have no help during the day,” he said. “I’m not sending nobody in with just two people.”
The fire began in the chimney and spread to the areas surrounding the chimney. Flames could be seen behind the chimney as crews continued to attempt to extinguish it from the outside and inside of the home.
Once crews could get to the attic, a firefighter pushed the chimney down for crews to get behind it. Crews also pulled siding off the home around the chimney to find and extinguish hidden embers that could reignite the fire.
Sellers said the home would be a total loss.
While fighting the fire, a school bus for ABC Transit arrived at the scene. The driver told a chief on scene he would leave the bus on with the heat running if any firefighters needed to get warm.
In addition to the Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department, responding emergency departments included Parker City, Marion Township and Harrisville volunteer fire companies; Bruin, West Sunbury, North Washington, Clintonville and St. Petersburg volunteer fire departments; the Emlenton Fire Department; Senca Volunteer Fire Department; Emlenton Area Ambulance Service and a response team from Allegheny Health Network.
