Quick response saves Clarendon home
By BRIAN FERRY bferry@timesobserver.comArticle Photos
A blaze in a Clarendon home was quickly knocked down by volunteer firefighters on Wednesday, preventing the spread of the fire.
The fire started at about 1:45 p.m. in the 830 Chapman Dam Road home of John Hellman, and thick smoke was pouring out of the structure at 2 p.m.
According to Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Andy Jones, Hellman was home at the time of the fire.
"He got out safely and got his mother out," Jones said. "The dog followed them out."
Jones said he was unsure as to the origin of the fire, but the quick response contained the fire to a small area of the house.
By 2:30, there was very little smoke coming from the house.
"It was definitely a good save," Jones said. "For what was saved, it was a hell of a job."
"It was confined to the one bedroom," he said.
Firefighters used fans to clear out some of the smoke from the home, but Jones said, "there is water and smoke damage throughout."
The first responders to arrive at the scene had to attack the fire from outside. "We started outside, defensively, until we got help," Jones said.
When that help arrived, including personnel from Sheffield Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters went ahead with an interior attack, he said.
In addition to Clarendon and Sheffield, Cherry Grove VFD sent a tanker, Pleasant VFD took up station at Clarendon, and Clarendon and Sheffield fire police handled traffic.
Jones said Hellman was being aided by the American Red Cross at the scene.






