FAYETTE TOWNSHIP – A major fire gutted a Fayette Township woman’s home Monday even though firefighters battled the blaze for six hours.

Tuesday, February 29, 2000

FAYETTE TOWNSHIP – A major fire gutted a Fayette Township woman’s home Monday even though firefighters battled the blaze for six hours.

Lawrence County 911 dispatchers called out Fayette No. 2 Volunteer Fire Department to the home of Irene Wentz, Township Road 353, or Light Road, about 4:30 p.m., assistance chief Carl Kleinman said.

"We didn’t break down our gear until probably about 10 p.m.," he said, adding that volunteers spent most of their time making sure the fire did not rekindle.

Burlington-Fayette Volunteer Fire Department members joined Fayette No. 2 at the scene after the initial call.

Eventually, three other crews from Chesapeake, Perry and South Point fire departments – an estimated 40 volunteers – would join them to fight the fire as Mrs. Wentz and family members watched in tears.

"It was a large two-story house with quite a bit of contents," said Kleinman, who served as incident commander for a time.

"We made our initial interior attack but had to cut that short because of a potential roof collapse," Kleinman said.

Crews also had to battle a water shortage but managed to dam up a nearby creek so a pumper truck could draw a much-needed supply, he said.

Once the roof collapsed and the blaze burned through what remained, crews again assaulted the flames inside the structure, Kleinman said.

"We sent crews in for the overhaul operation," he said, explaining that crews make sure the fire is out after it’s under control.

Mrs. Wentz and her family managed to save a few belongings, but very little, firefighters said.

Meanwhile, the blaze remains under investigation, Kleinman said.

"It looks to have started in the laundry room," he said.

"We had three small ones in Fayette so far this year and there might have been more," he added. "We thought we were scaring (the fires) to death but all of a sudden we get smacked with a big one."