A rural Texico home was damaged by an early Saturday morning fire.
The Kell Fire Department received a report that the Ronald Shurtz home at 232 Garfield was on fire. He woke up when his CPAP machine quit working and found smoke throughout the home. He was the only one in the home at the time. Shurtz ran to a neighbor’s house to have 911 called.
The first firefighter arrived on scene to find smoke showing from the front door and attic. Fire was found in and around the HVAC unit and had extended into the attic. The fire was brought under control a short time later.
The homeowner was treated by United Medical Response at the scene but denied transport to the hospital. He later went to the hospital with a family member for further examination.
Firefighters were on scene for just over 2 hours beginning at 2:07 Saturday morning.
The Salem Fire Protection District provided mutual aid at the scene, while Iuka, Centralia Fire Protection District, and Mt. Vernon firemen staged once it appeared there would be a quick knockdown of the fire. Jefferson Fire and Odin Fire covered the Kell Fire Station in the event of another fire.
