By Beacon Staff
The Burlington Fire Department battled three fires this past weekend, including two on Sunday.
No one was injured in any of the incidents, though some of the properties suffered major damage.
House and Camper on Wightman Street Destroyed By Fire Sunday Night
The Burlington and West Burlington fire departments responded to a reported structure fire at 7:03 p.m. Sunday, March 19 at 727 Wightman St. Burlington Police officers arrived first and assisted with locating and evacuating the occupant of the home.
Firefighters arrived five minutes later to find a single-family home and travel trailer fully engulfed in flames. Off-duty firefighters from Burlington, Danville, and Mediapolis were called in for assistance, and the fire was extinguished by 8:24 p.m.
The property is owned and occupied by Joseph Zippe and is insured. Damage estimates are still being assessed, but both the travel trailer and house are a total loss. The Red Cross was called for victim assistance.
One pet (a dog) escaped the house and was later recovered without injury. The fire damaged one automobile, as well as the house at 723 Wightman St., which sustained heat damage to two windows.
The cause of the fire was due to open burning outside the residence. The fire spread to the travel trailer and then to the house. Zippe was issued a citation for violating the city’s open burning ordinance.
Firefighters cleared the scene at 9:55 p.m.
Lincolnville Motel Evacuated After Room Catches Fire Early Sunday Morning
Firefighters from Burlington and West Burlington responded to the report of a structure fire at the Lincolnville Motel at 1:53 a.m. March 19, and arrived five minutes later to find flames and smoke showing from a room on the east side. Police officers had already started to evacuate the building of guests by then.
Off-duty Burlington firefighters and firefighters from Danville and Mediapolis were called for assistance.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire damage to one motel room and the attic area, but other rooms sustained smoke and water damage. The property is owned by Dilip Gandhi and is insured.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and is not considered suspicious. Firefighters cleared the scene at 3:43 a.m. Sunday.
Kitchen Fire Causes $70,000 Worth of Damage to Burlington Home Saturday
Burlington and West Burlington firefighters responded to a reported house fire at 412 S. Marshall Street at 5:34 p.m. on March 18.
Firefighters arrived four minutes later to find heavy smoke coming from the back of the two-story house. Off-duty Burlington firefighters, as well as firefighters from Danville and Mediapolis, were called in for assistance.
Firefighters located and extinguished a fire in the kitchen. The surrounding rooms suffered heat and water damage, with smoke damage throughout the house.
The house, owned and occupied by John Harris, is insured. Damage is estimated at $70,000 to the house and contents. There were no working smoke detectors. The Red Cross has been called for victim assistance.
The cause of the fire is considered accidental and was due to combustible items stored too close to the stovetop. It is believed that a pet jumped onto the stove and inadvertently turned on a burner.
Firefighters cleared the scene at 8:22 p.m.