Belle apartment sustains damage in Thursday-morning fire

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 3/11/20

BELLE — The Belle Fire Protection District was called out at 9:31 a.m. on Thursday to White’s Apartments, 218 Highway 28 in Belle, for a structure fire.

Firemen arrived to heavy …

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Belle apartment sustains damage in Thursday-morning fire

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BELLE — The Belle Fire Protection District was called out at 9:31 a.m. on Thursday to White’s Apartments, 218 Highway 28 in Belle, for a structure fire.

Firemen arrived to heavy smoke inside apartment five that is occupied by Jesse Bogle and Sierra Hurst. Neither occupants were home at the time.

“We fully evacuated the building and began an interior attack,” said Assistant Fire Chief Nathan Abel.

Neighbors Nathaniel Bay and Sharon Wright who reside in apartment four were watching firemen from the parking lot while they waited for the building to be cleared.

“I work nights,” Bay said. “When I came home I noticed our apartment was smokey. Our kitchen and bathroom butt up to their bedroom and smoke was billowing in from behind the cabinets and kitchen sink.”

Bay said he immediately ran next door because he knew his neighbor is pregnant and they have animals at the residence. When no one answered, he went inside.

“The doorknobs weren’t hot, but I could hear the dogs, so I checked the bedroom,” Bay said. “I grabbed the mama dog and five puppies, but couldn’t find the others.”

Bay left the residence and called the fire department.

“I walked from my apartment to theirs and then to the end of the building and the fire department was here. That was at about 9:20 a.m,” Bay said.

Abel estimated about 30 gallons of water were used inside the bedroom of the residence on March 5, where the source of the fire was located.

“We did get four puppies out of there,” Abel. “We turned things upside down and didn’t see anymore.”

Three trucks and seven firemen responded to the scene. Mutual aid was also requested from the Bland Volunteer Fire Department and Owensville Fire Department but was canceled before either department arrived.

“Damage was contained to the room and contents,” Abel said. “There was no extension to the adjoining apartments.”

During the fire, a water pipe had apparently melted inside the wall. As property owner Tom Kixmueller attempted to repair the pipe with the help of the firemen, he noticed a burnt blanket piled against the baseboard heater. Kixmueller and firemen speculated that was the source of the fire.

As the fire department prepared to leave around 11 a.m., Bogle was said to be on his way home from Cuba.