A fire initially reported as a camper fire spread to a home on Greenbriar Drive, which was destroyed by fire early this morning.
Columbus police were the first to arrive at 12:48 a.m. today at 3823 Greenbriar Drive, where they found a fully-involved camper fire had moved to the two-story home, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire throughout the home, with structural collapse to a portion of the roof, Wilson said.
Firefighters also reported fire damage, caused by radiant heat, to 3843 Greenbriar Drive next door.
Due to the rapid spread of the fire and structural collapse, the CFD incident commander ordered all fire operations to be conducted from the exterior of the home. With no fire personnel being permitted to enter the home, crews directed multiple water streams into the residence, including an elevated water stream from a ladder truck positioned on the roadway, Wilson said.
Firefighters also applied water onto the exterior of 3843 Greenbriar Drive to prevent additional damage. Firefighters battled flames for over an hour before the fire was marked under control, Wilson said.
Firefighters said pockets of fire hidden under fallen debris resulted in limited access at times to completely extinguish the fire.
Once the fire was controlled, crews were permitted to access portions of the home to fully extinguish remaining hot spots.
Homeowner John Stetter told investigators that he, his wife, and two of three children were in the home at the time of the fire, Wilson said. Stetter told investigators that he was in bed when he heard a popping sound outside the home.
Stetter went outside to investigate the sound and discovers flames coming out from under a 32-foot camper parked next to the garage, Wilson said. Stetter said that attempted to put out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher but the fire continued to grow in intensity.
Stetter said that while he attempted to stop the fire’s spread, his wife called 911. Stetter said that he witnessed the fire spread to the exterior wall and into the soffit and attic space, Wilson said.
Stetter told investigators that he had owned the camper since March, and has lived in his home for 15 years. Stetter told investigators that he was charging components of the trailer with a power supply extension cord from the home.
Investigators confirmed that the charging system was connected at the time the fire occurred, but were unable to determine the exact cause of the fire. The cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time, Wilson said.
The home is considered a total loss with a damage estimate of 250,000, Wilson said.
The Salvation Army and American Red Cross are providing disaster relief services to the family. No injuries were reported at the scene.
Agencies that assisted at the scene include the Columbus Police Department, Columbus Regional Health EMS, Duke Energy, Vectern Energy, The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
