Balmy mid-June temperatures had firefighters from the West Frankfort Fire Department battling blazes on two fronts Wednesday afternoon—the one engulfing a residence located 507 North Gardner Street and the heat provided by Mother Nature.
Arriving on the scene just four minutes after the call came through to the station at 1:20 p.m., WFFD firefighters were met with a full-on structure fire.
According to West Frankfort Fire Chief Wes Taylor, smoldering charcoal briquettes that looked to have cooled during the previous night and were disposed in a nearby trash receptacle appeared to be the culprit of the blaze that nearly destroyed the two-story home.
Taylor said the briquettes must have ignited earlier in the day and climbed the walls of the residence, spreading to the roof and the interior of the second floor. The chief went on to say that a good turnout from his volunteer staff helped salvage the home.
"I thought we were going to lose it, but we got the upper hand," said Taylor. "We had a good turnout from our volunteers. Anytime a fire happens at that time of day its cause for concern because most of our volunteers have day jobs."
The chief said extra manpower is especially important this time of year because firefighters can easily be overcome from the hot outdoor temperatures.
"We keep plenty of cold water on-site and make sure our men stay hydrated," said Taylor. "Its easy to get overheated in the bunker gear, so we take additional measures to stay cool."
For more on this story, pick up a print copy of the Thursday edition of the Daily American.
