Allen County Crews Battle String of Fires

"It's just this time of the year people need to be a little more aware of their surroundings," said Chuck Dwyer, the Safety Officer Chief of the Aboite Township Fire Department.   

Fire fighters responded to a number of fires throughout Allen County.  A Huntertown mobile home fire turned fatal.  In Fort Wayne, a chimney fire damaged a home on the 3700 block of Hamilton road.

 However, it doesn't end there-- firefighters put out blazes on the 600 block of Woodland Springs and another on the 4500 block of Lillie. 

 Dwyer says the drop in temperature is partly to blame. 

"It been cold weather now for a number of days, Furness have been running for a long period of time so we are always aware that something could be going on," said Dwyer.    

This morning 88 year old Wanda June Ray died in this mobile home fire on the 1400 block of Auburn Road in Huntertown. 

Firefighters say the buildings metal roof and attic made it difficult to put out.   Dwyer suggests taking a proactive approach to prevent a fire in your own home. 

"I think that at some point in time you need to be checking to see what your residence is like and just be taking some time to make sure nothing is on Alternate heating devices are always a concern for us,"  said Dwyer.

Dwyer says there's nothing wrong with space heaters if they're used properly.     

"People set them up well and then sort of forget them if they have little ones in the house or if they have animals, anything can knock them over," said Dwyer. 

Firefighters tell me that in addition to regularly checking your furnace to make sure your chimneys are clean and that your smoke detectors are working.

The Indiana state fire Marshall was called to that fatal fire in Huntertown and it's still under investigation.