Jefferson-Craig Fire and Rescue responded to a house fire on East Main Street early Sunday morning.
Assistant chief Tony Peelman said that his department was called out at approximately 5:30 a.m. to the Ronnie Proctor home. When they arrived, the home was in flames and suffered heavy damage.
“We believe that the fire started in the basement, either through the furnace or the dryer,” Tony Peelman said. “The specific cause hasn’t been determined yet, and the investigation is still going on.”
Firefighters, along with Switzerland County EMS and members of the Vevay Police Department, were on the scene until approximately 10:30 a.m.; and returned to the home at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday evening when the fire sparked back up in the ceiling – but that was quickly extinguished.
Tony Peelman said that the fire damage was heavy in the basement, the front room, and the kitchen. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
The Proctor family is living with Ronnie Proctor’s daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ann and Casey Jones, while it is determined whether or not the home is salvageable.
*
Casey Jones said that the home was occupied by Ronnie Proctor; his daughter and son-in-law Sarah and Tim Garland; and the Garland’s two children, Timmy and Jasper, at the time of the fire.
“Sarah said that when she woke up, the house was full of smoke and she yelled ‘fire!’,” Casey Jones said. “Everyone started getting up and getting out, and Sarah said that she noticed that there were flames coming out of the vents. They pretty much lost all of their clothing, but everybody made it out okay.”
Casey Jones said that an adjuster for the insurance company went through the structure on Monday, but made no firm determination on saving the home.
“He didn’t talk like it was going to be salvageable, but he couldn’t make a determination on that while he was here,” Casey Jones said.