A fire under a portable carport at a rural Patoka home that started in a riding lawn mower spread to two jet skis before being put out.
Patoka Fire Chief Blake Hyde says the fire was at the Seth and Alicia Lewis home at 300 North Avenue about four miles northwest of Patoka in Fayette County. He reports Seth had parked the lawn mower under the carport after finishing mowing. Later, when looking out the window they saw it was on fire.
Seth was able to extinguish most of the fire with an extinguisher, but then the fuel tank melted, and the gas that poured out drained towards the jet skis that then caught fire.
Hyde says the Lewis’ were able to save a motorcycle and some hand tools that were also under the carport.
The carport itself had scorched paint from the heat.
Hayes notes the carport was 30 feet from the home and 25 feet from a camper and they were never threatened.
The fire call came in at 9:15 Thursday night. They were on the scene for about an hour. Sandoval firemen were called for mutual aid but canceled en route when Patoka Firemen determined the Lewis’ house was not threatened by the fire.
