Flames tear through Greenfield home

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The fire damage to a house in the 100 block of Forest Avenue in Greenfield was clear in the daylight on Sunday after flames tore through the home the previous night.

GREENFIELD — A fire destroyed a Greenfield home late Saturday night.

Firefighters were dispatched to the blaze in the 100 block Forest Avenue at about 11:35 p.m. Greenfield Fire Chief James Roberts said upon firefighters’ arrival, heavy flames were coming out of a rear corner of the house on its southeast side and heavy smoke was coming out of the front door.

Roberts said the homeowner was not home at the time and that no firefighters were injured as they battled the fire. He said a dog that was believed to be in the house had escaped and was later found elsewhere in town. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he added.

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The damage to the house is extensive, and it is considered a total loss, Roberts said.

Roberts said it took about 20 minutes to put the fire out, which was a little longer that it could have been, because most Greenfield first-responders on duty were responding to a vehicle crash north of town. He said two firefighters responded to the house fire immediately. One ran the pump on the fire engine while the other fought the fire.

“Then I got here and grabbed another hand line and hit it from the outside,” Roberts said. “We were slim pickings from the outset. Fortunately, our neighbors — Sugar Creek (Township) — showed up and helped us out.”

Nicole Cash, who’s staying at the Hope House nearby, said she was getting her phone that she had forgotten in her car when she noticed the fire and called 911.

Laura Boyer, who’s also staying at the Hope House, ran up to the burning house’s front door, fearing people might be trapped inside.

“When I opened the screen door, it was way too hot,” Boyer said. “I couldn’t get in.”

Boyer then went to the burning house’s only adjacent neighboring house, which is to its west, to alert the resident and get her outside. After that, Boyer went to another neighboring home to alert the Greenfield police officer who lives there.

Cash said the flames were intense.

“They were above the roof of the house, and they were shooting out the east side of the house,” she said.

Firefighters from Buck Creek Township also responded along with the Greenfield Police Department and Greenfield Utilities.