Fire consumes Fruitland home
Sunday, May 20, 2001 10:00 PM PDT
A spark from a metal grinder led to a fire that damaged a home situated at 1765 N.W. 24th St. Fruitland, Sunday afternoon, according to Payette Public Safety Fire Chief Jeff Sands. Emergency crews were dispatched to the house at 2:28 p.m. According to Sands, no one was in the home at the time of the fire. Two family pets (dogs), however, were killed, according Sands. The house is owned by David and Jan Pettis. "It appears someone was doing some grinding on the back patio," Sands said. "A spark got into a baby stroller and spread to the grill." The individual grinding on the back patio departed when they were finished, Sands said. The spark had time to kindle in the baby stroller, then ignite and eventually reach a propane tank on a barbecue grill. From there, the fire spread quickly, Sands said. Sands said strong winds helped the fire to spread. More than $30,000 of damage was inflicted on the contents of the home and more than $50,000 damage was done to the home itself, Sands said. "It was a pretty well involved fire," Sands said. "Both Ontario and Fruitland were called in as mutual aid." Rick Watkins, Fruitland Fire Department fire chief, said the Pettis home is about 50 feet to the north of the Fruitland city limits so the Payette Rural Fire Department led the attempt to extinguish the blaze.
