A home owned by Jeff and Dakota Austin at 5103 Quail Run Road northeast of Salem was heavily damaged in a late Thursday afternoon fire.
Salem Fire Department Fire Marshal Bill Fulton says no one was at home when smoke was seen coming from the home by neighbors. Heavy smoke was pouring from the home upon the fire departments arrival. A short time later, the fire broke through the roof sending flames into the air. Fulton says the fire had spread throughout the attic.
Fulton says while they got a good initial knockdown on the main part of the fire, but it took a few hours to get the blaze put out. Water had to be shuttled to the scene, but Fulton says having enough water was never a problem. Fulton says the Austin’s lost all of their possession and their two pet dogs were killed in the blaze.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. It appeared to have started near the wall between the house and the attached garage. There was heavy fire around the electrical box. Firemen had to wait for Tri-County Electric to arrive to cut power before they could put out that portion of the fire.
Firemen were first called around four Thursday afternoon and returned to the station around 7:15.
Salem received mutual aid assistance on the scene from Odin, Iuka, and Kinmundy-Alma. Kell Firemen stood by at the Salem station in the event of another fire.
