LIMA — A Wednesday afternoon fire left a Lima family temporarily homeless and caused $20,000 in damages to a Linden Street structure and its contents.
A spokesman for the Lima Fire Department said crews were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday to 627 Linden St. in reference to a dwelling fire. Upon their arrival, firefighters found heavy fire at the rear of the residence and heavy black smoke coming from a second-story attic vent.
Damage estimates were set at $15,000 for the property and $5,000 for the contents. The structure, owned by Florida resident Penny Brand, is valued at $29,600. A home next door at 629 Linden St. sustained $2,000 in heat-related damage.
The fire department spokesman said investigators were on scene Thursday in an attempt to determine the cause of the blaze.
He said a “Good Samaritan” bystander was hospitalized for smoke inhalation after entering the home and pushing an air conditioner out of a window.
The occupants of the home, a mother and her two children, were assisted by the American Red Cross in finding temporary housing, he said.
