BLAZES DAMAGE HOUSES

Fire early Tuesday caused extensive damage to a residence at 22 Edgewood. The fire was among a number of fire calls that occurred in the city Sunday through Tuesday.

Fire department officials said the occupants of the house on Edgewood, Gerald Stott and his family, were asleep at the time, but escaped the burning structure without injury.

The fire was discovered at about 12:19 a.m. when Stott's son, who was sleeping in a basement bedroom, was awakened by the fire.

Authorities said the fire started somewhere in a shop area of Stott's basement drive-in garage. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The fire officer-in-charge, Capt. Mike Carlton, said there was fire damage to the shop and garage areas, the two basement rooms, the hallway stairs to the first floor, and in parts of two upstairs bedrooms.

There was also fire damage to the north outside wall of the house and heavy smoke and heat damage to the rest of the one-story wooden-frame structure.

Investigators said a melted smoke detector was found but it could not immediately be determined if it was functioning when the fire occurred.

At least two firefighters were injured when they received minor electrical shocks. Assistant Fire Chief Jim Niswonger said the fire exposed live electrical wires inside the burning house until the electric meter could be disconnected.

Firefighters were called at 6:50 p.m. Monday, to 529 S. Frederick after an electrical heater ignited bedding in a downstairs bedroom.

There was heavy fire damage to two rooms on the first floor of the two-story wooden-frame house, heavy smoke damage throughout the rest of the first floor, and light smoke damage to the second floor.

The house is owned by David Warfield. The identities of the five tenants were not available.

Firefighters were called to 1307 Broadway at 7:43 a.m. Monday after smoke was discovered in a combination office-restaurant building.

Investigators said the probable cause of the fire was a cigarette dropped in a box of clothing in a basement storage room. Firefighters said the fire was contained to the small room and it extinguished itself before their arrival.

Fire damage was confined to the storage room, but there was heavy smoke damage to the basement, rear hall, and stairway areas. Light smoke damage was reported to the entire building, which houses the Subway Restaurant and the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy recruiting offices.

The fire was discovered by personnel from the Army recruiting office.

On Sunday firefighters were summoned at 5:10 p.m. to the Lone Star Industries cement plant at 2524 S. Sprigg after internal heat from coal dust collecting in steel hoppers ignited, causing a coal-dust explosion. Possible fire and heat damage was confined to the interior of the coal-dust hoppers, officials said.

At 9:39 a.m. Sunday, firefighters responded to a fire at a residence at 315 Good Hope. Investigators said a 6-year-old boy attempting to burn frayed strings from clothing accidentally set fire to the bed linen. The boy was not injured. Authorities said the boy reported the fire to his mother, who called for help.

The fire was confined to the boy's bedroom. The bed, mattress and contents of the room were destroyed. There was considerable smoke damage to the other rooms of the house, owned by Bill Penrod. The tenant is Kristine Walker.