Family Loses Home in Blaze

SYRACUSE – A blaze Wednesday morning has destroyed a residence on Roy Jones Road.

The residence of Jamie and Kim Wolfe and family was racked by fire. Area firemen responded and put the engulfed structure out, but the home is a total loss. The front part of the two story structure sustained heavy damage. The back of the house sustained heavy smoke damage.

Wolfe was home at the time of the fire, but was in the back of the house when he realized the front of the house was on fire. He was the one that called 911. The rest of the family was not home at the time.

Syracuse Assistant Fire Chief Joe Riffle said the fire originated in the front of the house in the living room. He said it is possible the fire started from a candle that had been burning in the living room, but no determination had been made as of publication. They were on the scene for about two hours. Riffle added the structure was fully involved upon arrival.

Asst. Chief Riffle said volunteers from area departments responded quickly to assist Syracuse. Responding from Syracuse were Truck 9, Engine 34, Engine 31, along with Pomeroy Pumper 3, Bashan Tanker 72, Racine Engine 27, Chester Engine 51, and Meigs EMS Medic 2.

“It is outstanding,” Riffle said of the response of volunteers to the fire. He said typically it is harder to have that much of a response in the middle of the week and the middle of the day with people working.

“We wouldn’t be able to accomplish this without teamwork,” he said.

A bystander on the scene and stated that “Jamie is the most giving person I ever met.”

The family has experienced great loss with the death of their son, Tad, several years ago.

No arrangements had been made as of publication to assist the family. Jamie told the Meigs Independent Press he was just trying to think of his “next move” following the devastating events of today.

Additional photographs by Carrie Gloeckner.