A mother and her 3-year-old child escaped an attic fire at their home at 222 N. Mapleton St. at about 1:52 p.m. Monday.
Katrina Wade, 24, told firefighters that a neighbor knocked on her door to warn her about smoke coming from the home’s attic vent, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
When firefighters arrived, they checked the home’s interior and found it clear of smoke. Firefighters used a ladder to reach the attic vent from outside and used water to extinguish the attic fire within minutes. They then began removing insulation from the attic space, which was watered down on the lawn to make sure all the fire was extinguished.
Wade told fire investigators the home had recently had a power failure, causing her to reset the electrical breaker, Wilson said. She also told firefighters she had smelled smoke in the home but could not pinpoint where it was coming from.
Damage to the home is estimated at $2,500, including minor water damage to the interior. Firefighters said the home did have working smoke alarms. No injuries were reported.
The attic fire was the city’s first residential structure fire of the year, Wilson said.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
