Natural Christmas tree catches fire; Columbus home a total loss

COLUMBUS, Ind. — A natural Christmas tree that hadn’t been watered in a couple of days caught fire, causing extensive damage to a Columbus man’s home, firefighters said.

Homeowner Mark Jessie heard a smoke alarm activate inside his mobile home at 2704 Rosedale Drive at 12:46 a.m. Sunday, said Lt. Mike Wilson of the Columbus Fire Department. The home is in the Candlelight Village mobile home park.

Jessie, 48, told fire department investigators that he was painting a bedroom at the rear of the home and began to hear a smoke alarm sounding in the hallway, Wilson said. Jessie stated that the bedroom door was closed when he heard the alarm, and when he opened the door he saw his Christmas tree burning in the mobile home’s living room, Wilson said.

Damages to the home were declared a total loss, estimated at $30,000, Wilson said.

Read more in Tuesday’s print edition of The Republic.