ACFD Battles House Fire Saturday; Protects Two Adjacent Homes From Blaze

An Ark City home at 914 S. B Street was engulfed in flames Saturday. Firefighters saved two surrounding homes from the blaze, the ACFD said. (Photos courtesy City of Ark City)

The Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department says it successfully protected neighboring properties after a two-story structure became fully engulfed Saturday.

According to a news release from the ACFD Monday, firefighters were dispatched at 8:47 a.m. Saturday to 914 South B St. for a report of a structure fire that was close to two other residences.

When they arrived at the scene, ACFD crews found a two story house with heavy smoke coming from both stories. Crews entered the structure and began to attack the fire, but soon had to exit the structure when it became too unstable and unsafe to remain inside.

Firefighting crews then changed tactics to focus on protecting the two structures to the north and south of the fire. ACFD’s aerial platform and multiple hand lines were deployed to protect these adjacent structures.

Firefighters battle a house fire in Ark City Saturday.

The house collapsed shortly afterward. No fire damage was noted to either neighboring structure.

ACFD received mutual aid from the Winfield Fire-EMS Department and Udall Fire Department.

“The initial structure was allowed to burn for multiple reasons,” ACFD Interim Fire Chief Les Parks stated in the news release. “When the decision was made to transition to a defensive attack, there was nothing left of the structure that could be saved. First and foremost, this was done for the safety of our crews and for residents in the area.

“Second, firefighters could put all of their resources into protecting the other savable structures. And finally, for a house that still would have to be demolished later, this saved Arkansas City taxpayers money by not having to pay for that demolition.”

The owner reported the house was unoccupied and under renovation at the time of the fire.

The residence was not insured. The total loss was estimated at $45,000.

Once the fire was under control, Public Services Department crews responded with heavy equipment to help to clean up the small amount of structure still standing, which presented a collapse danger. Firefighting crews remained on scene until 4 p.m. Saturday and periodically checked the smoldering fire through the remainder of the day.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Firefighters tend to a house fire Saturday at 914 S. B Street in Ark City.