Blaze claims Greenfield home

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GREENFIELD — A Greenfield home caught fire early Monday, and freezing weather created ice from water hoses at the scene that left several firefighters injured.

The fire started in the garage of a home in the 3100 block of West Tulip Tree Drive in Greenfield.

Homeowner David Reboulet said he and his wife, Dawn, heard their smoke detectors go off just before 3 a.m. A neighbor called 911 while the couple got their son, Luke, and two pets safely out of the home.

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The blaze took more than three hours to get under control, Buck Creek Fire Chief Dave Sutherlin said. The water from firefighters’ hoses quickly froze, and one firefighter sustained minor injuries after falling on the ice. Another firefighter had a broken arm after a fall from a 6-foot ladder, Sutherlin said.

The fire spread quickly, and the structure was fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived, Sutherlin said.

West Tulip Tree Drive has no fire hydrants, so crews had to rely solely on tanker engines that transported water to the scene. At least six different stations assisted at the fire, Sutherlin said.

Water running in the area froze quickly and left a sheet of ice on the road, walkways and on the brick exterior of the home.

One firefighter slipped and fell on ice outside the home. Two others were hurt when a stepladder collapsed, causing one man to fall on top of the other; one sustained a broken arm, while the other had minor injuries, Sutherlin said.

“I’m just glad it’s not worse,” he said of the firefighters’ injuries. “I’m surprised the cold did not cause more problems.”

The fire rekindled Monday afternoon, forcing crews to return to the home briefly to douse a few hot spots.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

David Reboulet said the family still was shocked by what happened. They were still dressed in their pajamas as they tried to salvage what they could from the home Monday morning. They planned to stay with family.

“We’ll be well taken care of,” Reboulet said.