Two Fires Keep Firefighters Busy

Firefighters fought two residential fires Wednesday, which left several without their own bed to sleep in, but no injuries were reported. Sallisaw Fire Chief Anthony Armstrong reported Sallisaw firemen responded to a fire at Houser Street Apartments at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, then answered a call for help from the Brent Rural Fire Department at 11:02 a.m. Wednesday. Armstrong said the fire at the apartment complex may have been caused by cigarettes. The firefighters arranged for the woman who lived in the apartment to be housed in a motel room for the night. Armstrong said firefighters had the apartment fire under control within 10 minutes, and were on the scene for about one hour.

The call to assist the Brent Fire Department was received at 11:02 a.m. Wednesday. The residence is on Wildhorse Mountain Road, about one mile west of U.S. Highway 59 south of Sallisaw. The home is owned by Lloyd Hines, and the Hines were not at home at the time of the blaze. Armstrong said it is believed the fire, which started in the garage and spread to the rest of the home, may have been caused by a space heater that had just been purchased the day before. The home sustained fire and smoke damage, but is very fixable, Armstrong said. Brent, Gans and Sallisaw firefighters had to battle the fire and the smoke (above) but had the fire under control within 10 minutes after arriving, and were on the scene for another 45 minutes to one hour. Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative linemen helped the firemen by disconnecting the electric power to the home. Armstrong said the Hines found shelter with family members after the fire. By Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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