House Fire on North 12th in Lamar

House Fire at 408 North 12th in Lamar

A rental property at 408 North 12th Street caught fire shortly after 3pm, Tuesday, September 9.   Lamar Fire and Ambulance crews responded while the Lamar Police Department blocked access to the streets and Atmos Gas turned off the gas flow into the house.

Residents from several streets away said they heard some kind of explosion and saw plumes of thick black smoke in the air, right after.  The fire may have started on the south side of the small house, as almost the entire exterior wall just fell off as one piece, coming close to the adjacent property, only feet away.

A fireman entered that dwelling with a hand-held, heat-seeking device to locate any hidden hot spots that might have developed in their roof.

South Wall of House

Meanwhile, firemen continued to attack the blaze on several fronts, on the roof of the burning house, gaining access on the north side with a ladder, cutting away at the shingles and wood below to extinguish any fire in the attic, setting up a gas-powered fan in the front door to clear away smoke from the interior and several firemen were busy clearing an accumulation of toys which hindered placement of the hoses in the front yard.

Several firemen who were first on the scene, had to break away from fighting the blaze as their oxygen tanks had run empty and needed replacements.   An official statement detailing the cause of the fire is pending.

By Russ Baldwin