COLUMBUS – Two homes in downtown Columbus sustained damage Friday evening after a fire erupted, displacing eight individuals. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to the Columbus Fire Department, a passerby initially spotted flames emanating from a carport in the 900 block of Chestnut Street and promptly alerted the homeowner. The resident attempted to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose before firefighters were dispatched at approximately 5:52 p.m.
Upon arrival, crews found the carport fully engulfed in flames, with the heat melting the vinyl siding of an adjacent home. Firefighters quickly began to suppress the exterior blaze, but discovered the fire had spread inside the first residence.
Inside the home, firefighters encountered intense heat and limited visibility. The fire appeared to be concentrated in a bedroom. However, after opening a section of the ceiling, they uncovered a hidden void within the home’s structure where the fire was actively burning. Firefighters were then able to extinguish the blaze after cutting through the roof.
The initial home was rendered uninhabitable due to the fire damage, and a neighboring apartment also sustained damage. The American Red Cross is providing assistance to the eight displaced residents to help them secure shelter.
