Fire destroys house in New Ulm

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A late-morning fire destroyed much of a split-level house on Crestview Drive on Monday.

A neighbor across the street from 1814 Crestview Drive called 911 after seeing the fire from a front window.

Fire trucks arrived at the scene shortly after 11 a.m. to find the blaze was already consuming a two-car attached garage and the white Buick Regal coupe that was parked in the driveway.

An investigation by the New Ulm Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal determined that the cause of the fire was accidental.

The estimated value of the house, owned by Karen Savoy of New Ulm, is about $130,000. The house is considered a total loss.

New Ulm Fire Chief Curt Curry said the fire began in the garage and advanced to the attic, where it spread out over the entire first floor of the house. The fire demolished the garage and ravaged the living room, kitchen and bedrooms on the first level of the house.

"When we got there, there was a fire roaring. It had already burned the car by the time we pulled the hose off," Curry said. "It was pretty tough."

Firefighters salvage two hutches, several heirlooms, a grandfather clock and five gun cabinets. They also rescued a pair of dogs from their basement kennel and coaxed a scared cat out from underneath one of the beds on the upper level.

Heavy smoke and a rapidly burning fire posed safety risks for firefighters because the beams in the attic burned so quickly, Curry said. Firefighters cut holes in the roof and punched out windows in order to ventilate the house. Twenty-eight firefighters responded to the call. They had left the scene by 2:24 p.m. only to return by 6 p.m. to put out a flare-up in the garage.

"You've only go a half-hour for it to burn before it collapses," Curry said Monday night. "So there was some concern for the safety of firemen."

Savoy had lived in the house for several years, most recently with a friend and one child, according to neighbors. Co-workers and neighbors were at the house Monday night helping remove furniture. Savoy could not be reached for comment.

The frame of the garage was still standing but much of the property was blackened by smoke and damaged by water. New Ulm police have cordoned off the remains of the house with yellow crime scene tape.

Curry said New Ulm hasn't seen a serious house fire since a house on Hollywood Avenue burned in 2002. That fire was preceded by a similar incident on the north end of Payne Street that same year.