An investigator from the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office was in Great Bend Monday to determine the cause of a fire Sunday afternoon at 2011 Jackson St. It was one of several fire calls over the weekend, Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said.
Firefighters received the report of a basement fire at 4:37 p.m., at the house owned by James and Krissy Jackson. The first truck arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming from a basement window. “Crews advanced a hose line inside to the basement and quickly extinguished the fire,” Napolitano said. “The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire, (which) was confined to the basement with heavy smoke damage throughout the house.” A neighbor saw the fire and called it in.
The investigation was continuing as of late Monday afternoon.
Lint buildup in a dryer started a fire Saturday in the lower level of the Kirkman building at Barton Community College. Firefighters were dispatched at 3:17 p.m. The fire was put out by student with a fire extinguisher. “However, there was considerable smoke throughout the building,” Napolitano said. “The dryer was a severely damaged.”
At 2:56 a.m. Sunday, firefighters were dispatched to 1303 Wilson St. for a fire in a fire pit. It was extinguished by the owner with no damage.
There was a false alarm at 1:59 p.m. Sunday when an automatic alarm at 2535 Lakin Ave. malfunctioned.
At 11:38 p.m. Sunday, firefighters responded to a brush fire at SE 20 Road and SE 30 Ave. No one was around the fire, but they found large trees that had been cut down and left to burn.
Firefighters also made six ambulance runs Friday, seven Saturday and 11 Sunday.