Multiple Fires Break Out on Christmas Day at Indianapolis Homes
INDIANAPOLIS — Multiple fires broke out on Christmas Day in Indianapolis that injured or displaced several people from their homes.
The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) first responded to a fire at a two-story home in the 1300 block of W 34th St on the north side of the city. Fire crews were dispatched at 8:12 a.m. and arrived on scene a few minutes later.
A 62-year-old man was found inside the home and later transported to Eskenazi Hospital in serious condition. He told IFD that he was using a stove on his bed to cook breakfast and when he changed the heat source on the stove, it caught the bedding on fire.
According to IFD, the man got out of his house after he couldn’t extinguish the fire, but tried to go back in to get his five dogs. The flames were too strong for him to go back inside. Thankfully, the dogs were able to get out on their own.
The blaze was contained 15 minutes after fire crews got to the home.
Less than an hour later, Indianapolis fire crews were called to the east side after receiving multiple 911 calls about a house fully engulfed in flames. IFD learned that the two-story home at 8625 Beechwood Ave contained three families with a total of seven people inside and a few animals.
There were also downed power lines in the driveway of the home.
A grandmother told IFD that the family was asleep when the fire broke out. She awoke to the smoke alarms going off and then noticed a fire on the front porch of the house that had already extended to the second floor.
The grandmother yelled for everyone to get out. A neighbor also noticed the fire and smoke coming from the neighboring house and attempted to alert everyone inside to evacuate.
As the family woke up and rushed out of the house and into the backyard, IFD reported that the father noticed his 5-year-old was still inside. He went back into the burning home, ran upstairs and found the child in a bunk bed. The man rescued his son and ran back outside.
Four adults were transported to Eskenazi and two children were taken to Riley Hospital. One of the kids is listed as being in serious condition.
Three dogs were also located and rescued by IFD, however, one dog and one cat died in the fire, and two other dogs are unaccounted for.
The fire was listed as under control within 40 minutes.
A third Christmas Day fire broke out in the 1800 block of Kildare Ave on the city’s east side. A house that was unoccupied and under renovation had a fire.
IFD said crews arrived at the home at 10:26 a.m. and got the fire under control in seven minutes.
