TOTAL LOSS

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

November 25, 2008 09:02 pm

— KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP — A stubborn fire that began late Tuesday morning destroyed a century-old home on Cemetery Road.
Firefighters from seven different departments spent hours in horrendous weather, battling the blaze at 5901 Cemetery Road. Five hours after the alarm was sounded, a power shovel was busy flattening the Victorian-style home.
The fire began in the basement, but the cause is undetermined, said Neal Stewart, acting Kingsville fire chief.
The home is owned by Arthur Shahan and was insured, according to Stewart. No one was home at the time.
Stewart, who is also the township’s road superintendent, said he and co-worker Scott Burdine saw smoke curling from the home as they were leaving the township garage to begin plow duty. The garage sits next to the house.
The pair notified authorities and ran to the house, banging on the door to alert any occupants.
North Kingsville firefighters were first to arrive, said Brian Lehtonen, the village’s fire chief. Plenty of smoke was streaming from the big house upon their arrival, he said.
“Smoke was very evident,” he said.
Fire burned out the floors, Stewart said.
“It was totally gutted,” he said. “Basically, we had a skeleton.”
Flames were very difficult to find, hiding in recesses within the walls and ceilings, firefighters said.
“The house had balloon construction,” Stewart said, referring to a style of building that lacks firewalls or barriers to prevent flames from spreading.
Lehtonen agreed demolition was the only answer to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.
“Otherwise, we would have been back on a rekindled fire,” he said.
Firefighters were able to salvage only a few possessions for the occupants, Lehtonen said.
Wet, heavy snow created sloppy, slippery conditions for the firefighters. Later, the blinding snow would change to a driving rain. Because of the extreme weather, the decision was made to contact other departments for assistance, Stewart and Lehtonen said.
In addition to Kingsville and North Kingsville, help arrived from Conneaut and Monroe, Sheffield, Plymouth and Ashtabula townships. Jefferson Township sent a truck equipped to refill air bottles.
“We had great help,” Stewart said.
The house was built in 1900, according to the Ashtabula County auditor’s Web site. Stewart said it originally sat at the corner of Cemetery Road and Route 193 but was moved many years ago.

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