Fire Severely Damages Crawfordsville Rural Home

Tina McGrady | [email protected]

A fire severely damaged a rural home in Crawfordsville Tuesday morning.

Crawfordsville firefighters were dispatched at 8:03 a.m. to a single-family home at 3405 NCR 100W.

Crawfordsville Fire Chief Scott Busenbark said when crews were en route to the fire and reached U.S. 231 and Plank Road, they could see heavy smoke. Additional assistance was requested from the Coal Creek, Madison Township and Waynetown fire departments.

The three volunteer departments assisted Crawfordsville by providing water trucks and manpower to help put out the fire at the brick ranch-style home. Land records show the home is owned by Phillip and Jill Davis.

Busenbark said when they arrived, one of the occupants of the home was outside the residence. The other was not there at the time of the fire. He added that firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames in the area of ​​the attached garage.

“We went into the house for an interior attack at that point,” Busenbark said. “We had six firefighters inside fighting the fire, but then the fire went through the garage roof and into the attic of the house, so we got the firefighters out so they wouldn’t get trapped and started our defensive attack for about 10 minutes.”

Once the fire was under control, crews returned inside the structure to begin dismantling the ceiling to access the fire still raging in the attic.

It took firefighters just over an hour to extinguish the blaze. Busenbark initially dispatched 12 firefighters to the scene and called in six more to replace them and help with the cleanup.

Crews remained on scene until approximately 11:30 a.m.

The cause and origin of the fire have not yet been determined. A representative from the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office is expected to arrive Wednesday to investigate the fire.

No injuries were reported.