Late Night House Fire Displaces Residents

     At approximately 11:30 Saturday night, fire crews were dispatched to 1112 S. Meridian Street on a reported house fire. Lebanon Fire Department personnel arrived on scene to find fire through the roof of the single-family residence. Crews quickly searched the building for occupants and extinguished the fire. The two residents of the home were able to escape with their cat unharmed. Once the fire was brought under control, crews went to work searching for and extinguishing hidden fire. The incident commander, Battalion Chief Jason Lee, requested a fire investigator for origin and cause determination. The Salvation Army also responded to the scene for victim assistance.

     LFD Deputy Chief Matt Young responded to the scene for origin and cause investigation and began witness interviews and scene examination. During the interviews, residents stated they had recently moved into the rental home and were awakened by the smell of smoke. No working smoke detectors were present in the building. During scene examination, several electrical deficiencies were noted including Knob-and-Tube wiring, open wiring junctions, and overloaded circuits. The fire originated in the rear of the home near a power outlet. The fire likely traveled within the open wall space and extended to the attic. The cause of the fire was accidental in nature, and a direct result of faulty electrical wiring. All emergency units cleared the scene at 1:50 Sunday morning.