Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
ON WEDNESDAY evening, members of the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department monitor a controlled burn at 108 Ahola Ave., where a structure had been lost to a winter electrical fire. From left are Brian Kuchinski, Tom Zeckovich and Fire Chief Mike Singleton. The men were pushing a corner of the house walls into the fire, after which the chimney toppled. During the entire fire, the nearby house at 110 Ahola Ave. was protected by a sprinkler system.
By P.J. GLISSON
Wakefield - Members of the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department worked on Wednesday evening to burn what remained of a city house that already had sustained a winter fire.
"It was a total loss to begin with," said Fire Chief Mike Singleton of what had been a one-story house at 108 Ahola Ave., directly north of U.S. 2. He added that the cause of the original fire was believed to be electrical.
Although two persons had been living in the home before it burned, Singleton said they had escaped from the fire and now are resettled elsewhere.
Wednesday evening's controlled burn began at about 5:15 p.m. and was still in flames about two hours later.
"We're using everything we can," said Singleton of his guys, who were employing a chain saw to cut apart the deck at the back of the structure. They then tossed the pieces into the fire.
Zillow lists the house as having contained 660 square feet. Although Singleton described it as "very small," he added that it included a sauna and described the structure as "well built."
Pat and Jack Malovrh, who live nearby, bought the property but do not intend to live there.
"We're going to use the garage," said Pat, who was present when the Globe arrived. Her husband was helping to tend the fire.
"It's a real nice garage," said Singleton of the large out building directly behind the house that burned.
As the men pushed in the final southwest wall of what had been the house, the chimney fell seconds later, breaking the northside foundation as it crashed. The basement held the ashes of the structure and all its contents.
"It'll smolder all night long," said the chief.
Although foundation blocks still lie around the perimeter of the burned house, Singleton said that - once the ashes cool - the new owners will push the blocks into the basement, fill the hole completely, and then level the ground.
Neighbors on each side then also will see a greater expanse of grass on each side and will enjoy more privacy.
During the entire fire, the nearby house at 110 Ahola Ave. was protected by a sprinkler system.
