A blaze erupted in a house in Houston's historical Fourth Ward yesterday afternoon, leaving one resident needing hospital treatment for smoke inhalation. Around 4:15 p.m., flames were seen pouring from a home on the 1300 block of Ruthven St., as reported by the Houston Fire Department.
The fire, which caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, was fought off by first responders – they managed to protect property valued around $150,000. According to officials, the fire was ignited by something as simple as unattended cooking which took a perilous turn. The blaze was aggressively attacked by firefighters who, upon their swift arrival, discovered the resident had already fled the flames.
Evidence from the scene indicates that the fire had its genesis on a stove in the kitchen, where food items were left unwatched. After extinguishing the fire, the crew conducted a thorough check to ensure there was no additional threat. The home was then ventilated to clear the remnants of the smoke and toxicity.
A total of 32 personnel, including firefighters from Stations 6, 8, 7, and 30, responded to the scene. One civilian, whose identity was not immediately released, did make it out of the house but required medical attention. The individual, having self-extricated from the burning structure, was taken to the hospital for treatment following the smoke inhalation, as the fire department revealed.
