A Rental home in Northeast Dubois County was extensively damaged by a fire of unknown origin early Sunday afternoon.
Just after high noon Sunday, firefighters with the Dubois Volunteer Fire Department were called to the report of a fire at a home owned by Skeeterville LLC of Dubois located along the 4600 block of Zehr Road in Dubois.
Public Information Officer Zach Eichmiller says upon arrival, firefighters found smoke in the home and heavy smoke coming from the eaves at the rear of the 30 by 70 modular home.
Eichmiller says firefighters also found flames coming through the roof over the top of the dining room area.
The structure was being rented out to Jennifer Caffrey and Anthony Beckham who told fire department officials they had just moved into the home about six days ago and had been living in an apartment in Dubois. The two were at home at the time of the incident.
Caffrey told firefighters that she does have two sons, but they were not home when the fire broke out.
The couple stated that they were working outside the home when Beckham said he noticed smoke coming from the rear of the home.
They ran to the home where they were able to get a cell phone and call in the fire. Eichmiller says the fire appears to have started in the ceiling but the cause is unknown at this time.
Firefighters tore out half the ceiling on the north side of the house in order to extinguished the flames. Eichmiller says an area of about 10 x 10 ft did burn through the ceiling above the dining room. He says the house will not be habitable for some time until repairs are made.
Caffrey and Beckham will be staying in a hotel room furnished by the red cross at this time. Firefighters helped move out several of the couple’s belongings before leaving the scene.
Eichmiller says the couple at this time are not in need of clothing.
No one was injured in the incident. Three fire trucks with 32 firefighters were on scene for about an hour and a half.
FIRE 2
Upon their return to the station after the house fire, Dubois Firefighters were paged out again for a debris fire along the 5400 Block of Liberty Street in Dubois.
Public Information Officer Zach Eichmiller says there firefighters found a compost heap that was burning in a garden. Eichmiller say the heap was actually lit on Saturday, but with Sunday’s high winds, the heap rekindled.
Firefighters extinguished the fire and departed the scene shortly thereafter. The same 32 firefighters responded to this scene with two trucks and were on scene for about ten minutes.
