Chester home a total loss following Wednesday night fire
Firefighters were working to extinguish hot spots for several hours. Photo by Carrie Gloeckner.
CHESTER – A family home was destroyed by fire Wednesday.
The home of Dan and Lisa Short was totally engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene according to Chester Fire Department Chief, Dave Edwards.
Chief Edwards said the tones alerting the firefighters went off just before 8 p.m. He said most of the family was not home at the time of the fire. Dan Short had been outside in the field at the time of the fire. Chief Edwards said the cause of the fire could not be determined at this time. Firefighters were still working to extinguish hot spots around 10:30 p.m. He said the fire appears to have started in a back corner of the house.
“It took quite a bit to knock it down,” Chief Edwards said of the fire, “It had a pretty good head start on us.”
Chief Edwards said firefighters worked hard to gain control of the blaze which could be seen along State Route 7.
The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office was on the scene assisting with traffic as both sides of State Route 7 were blocked at times while more water was delivered. Traffic was moving past slowly for the most part.
In addition to the Chester Fire Department, Tuppers Plains, Reedsville, Olive Township, and Bashan also responded. A total of 25 firefighters responded in addition to several chaplains with the newly formed Meigs County Public Safety Chaplaincy program.
Dan and Lisa Short have three children. They do have insurance, but lost everything in the fire with the immediate need being clothing. Anyone wishing to make donations of clothing for the family may drop off donations at the residence of Carrie Morrissey Schagel, 39315 State Route 7. Schagel said clothing may be dropped off on the front porch.
Sizes of clothing for the family of five are: 7-8 boy’s clothing; medium adult; size 16 women’s (extra large tops); size 18 women’s (extra large tops); and men’s 3X shirts and 52/30 pants.
The family presumably lost two pets, a dog and a ferret in the fire. No one else was in the home and no injuries were reported.
