Community

Fire Destroys Two Bellaire Houses

BELLAIRE - When Kathy Davis realized her Franklin Street house might be next to catch on fire Thursday she took off for safety.

"I heard a loud explosion, a boom. Then it sounded like there were fireworks. The next thing I know I'm looking out my kitchen window and I see my neighbor's back porch on fire," she said. "It was close to my porch. I knew I needed to get out of there."

Davis' ranch style home, located at 4324 Franklin St., was situated next door to a duplex, located at 4314-4312 Franklin St., that first caught fire at about 11 a.m. The fire from the duplex spread to the rear of Davis' home.

From the alley-side view, one can see the massive amount of damage to both homes.

No one was injured in the blaze, but a woman and her adolescent son had to be helped out of the burning apartment, said Bellaire police Officer J.J. Watson.

Watson said a police officer, who declined to be identified, and a woman driving by first noticed the smoke coming from the structure and stopped to help.

Bellaire Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Timothy Bell said the cause of the fire still is under investigation. No firefighters were injured.

Meanwhile, Davis said she has family members she can stay with until she can get things figured out with her own home.

Davis' daughter, Alissa Hollingshead, said she had just moved out of her mother's house a week ago. She noted her brothers still there live, but were at work at the time of the fire.

In addition to Bellaire, firefighters from Neffs and Martins Ferry also responded. The Bellaire and Martins Ferry police also helped with traffic control. The Bellaire Salvation Army canteen truck was also assisting at the scene.