Three escape downtown Columbus home fire

An adult and two children escaped from a home fire Tuesday in central Columbus that caused more than $135 thousand dollars in damages.

According to reports from Columbus Fire Department, two children were in the basement of a home in the 1900 block of Gilmore Street when they noticed a fire in the laundry area. They alerted an adult who evacuated them and called firefighters at about 5:42 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the basement. They fought through the basement with zero visibility and in high heat to extinguish the fire in the laundry area. But as they overhauled the home, looking for fire they discovered that the flames had climbed to the second floor, spreading into a bedroom. After removing drywall, firefighters were able to fully extinguish the fire.

Investigators said the fire originated near the clothes dryer and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

No injuries were reported. The family was displaced and is receiving disaster relief support from the American Red Cross.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department.