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 Katy Nicholson | Daily Herald Flames pour out of the house at 704 South Main Street in Rich Square Saturday afternoon. The family escaped safely but the house was destroyed. |
The Rich Square fire department received a call at 2:24 p.m. about a fire at 704 South Main Street.
Five fire trucks from Rich Square and three from the Woodland Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene, along with EMTs and police officers. The house is considered a total loss, according to firefighter Michael Horton.
Family members rushed to the scene to provide comfort, and neighbors stood outside and watched helplessly as flames devoured the one-story home. Malikia Boone of Potecasi said her mother, stepfather, brother and sister lived in the house. Boone had been visiting her family and left her two young sons at the house while she went to the store. When she returned, the home was engulfed in flames. Boone said the family had lived in the house for 17 years.
Horton said the department does not perform fire investigations, but Boone said her family members think an outlet from an air-conditioning unit caught on fire and ignited a set of curtains.
One factor which may have contributed to the quick spread of the fire was the dry, humid weather, Horton said. Troy Smith, fire department secretary, said large-scale house fires typically occur in the winter. “This is a rare case in the summertime. Usually it's brushfires this time of year, or car fires.”
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