LORAIN — A fire this morning at a South Lorain duplex has forced a man from his home.
A neighbor called shortly after 9 a.m. to report smoke coming from the home, on East 32nd Street just west of Pearl Avenue.
Another neighbor, Gabriella Rodriguez, 13, said she was at her grandmother’s house across the street when she smelled smoke. Gabriella said she went outside as firefighters were arriving and saw flames when they opened the door.
The fire, which was electrical, started in the first-floor living room of 1764 E. 32nd, according to Lorain Fire Capt. Jeff Fenn. The fire likely originated with an extension cord, which caught the living room contents, including carpet, newspapers and other items, on fire, Fenn said. Smoke filled the home’s second and third floors, and firefighters had to break out most of the unit’s windows, according to Fenn.
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The home’s other unit, 1766, which was unoccupied, sustained smoke damage as well, Fenn said.
Fenn estimated damage at $15,000.
Neighbors said the occupant of 1764 had the left the home about a half-hour before they spotted smoke. Fenn said the occupant, who is owner of the duplex, returned to the home while firefighters were there and “was pretty shocked.”
“He took a lot of pride in his property and was taken back by loss,” Fenn said, but he said he has insurance.
The owner of the home is Cornejo Hilario, according to the Lorain County auditor’s Web site.
The home isn’t liveable, Fenn said, but the owner declined help. He was given the phone number for the American Red Cross in case he changes his mind, Fenn said. Fenn didn’t know where the man was staying.
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Felicia Farlow, who lives across the street about five houses away, said she heard sirens and went outside.
“I walked out onto my front porch and could see the smoke and smell something awful, almost like melted plastic,” she said. “We never saw flames, just lots of smoke.”
She said she saw a driver run over the fire hose, catching the hose on his truck and dragging it down the street. The man was pulled over by police down block, she said.
East 32nd Street resident Felicia Farlow took this picture of the duplex fire this morning in South Lorain.
Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.
