Heat overcomes three firefighters

By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

July 17, 2008 11:29 pm

— CONNEAUT — Three Conneaut firefighters required medical attention Thursday afternoon while battling a blaze in high humidity and heat.
Two of the firefighters, David Masirovits of Fire Station 1 and Brian Tessmer of Fire Station 3, were treated and returned to duty. Steve Lee, a lieutenant at Station 1, was sent home, according to reports.
A vacant house at 151 Old Mill Road, was destroyed in a fire that began around 1:30 p.m., according to reports. A cause was not immediately known, but firefighters said police were told three young people were seen running from the house shortly before the fire was discovered.
Owner of the property was not immediately known. The Ashtabula County Auditor’s Office Web site carried no listing for a home at that address.
The house had been perched on the city’s demolition list for the past few years. Heavy equipment from Conneaut’s Public Works Department was brought to the scene to knock down walls, according to reports.
Fire eventually leveled the two-story house and a detached garage, firefighters said.
Flames and heat also damaged Conneaut Telephone Co. cables strung a short distance away. Service to CTC customers south of the fire scene was reportedly affected. Repair crews were at work as soon the area was secured.
Assisting Conneaut at the scene were firefighters and equipment from Monroe Township, North Kingsville and West Springfield, Pa. All of Old Mill Road, a section of which parallels Route 7, was off limits to through traffic for more than four hours.

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