Thursday, November 26, 1998
Fire damages Miami St. home; resident injured
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
A Wednesday morning fire damaged a home that had been sold the day before.
Capt. Bill Winkins of the Tiffin Fire and Rescue Division said firefighters were called at 11:08 a.m. to the one-story home of Steve and Rebecca Weber, 443 Miami St.
Reportedly, the Webers, who were still living there, had just completed the sale of the house Tuesday to Todd and Candy Gitcheff.
Steve Weber is a deputy at the Seneca County Sheriff's Office.
Rebecca was treated and released from Tiffin Mercy Hospital for burns and smoke inhalation after the fire.
''It was confined to two rooms and smoke and heat damage throughout,'' Wilkins said. The fire started in a back bedroom, and worked its way forward, he said.
The fire was extinguished within 10 or 15 minutes of firefighters' arrival, Wilkins said. It was accidentally started, he said.
''It was a candle that accidentally got knocked over,'' Wilkins said.
Ten firefighters initially responded, and a second shift was summoned. Firefighters left the scene at about 1:30 p.m.
The damage was estimated between $15,000 and $20,000. Wilkins said the house was not livable. The contents were heavily damaged, he said.
''Everything in it was pretty much lost,'' he said.
The Red Cross was taking care of the residents.