FRANKTON — Marshal Shively could only watch as flames climbed through the third-story attic of his vacant century-old Victorian home.
“Yeah, there goes the roof,” he said as flames ripped through the rafters. The fire had damaged every floor of the house and kept an army of firefighters at a difficult distance beneath.
“I have no idea what happened,” Shively said as firefighters worked to stop the fire’s spread, minimize damage and retrieve what they could. “I just don’t know what to think.”
No one was hurt in the fire.
Frankton volunteer firefighters and Frankton ambulance responded to the fire call shortly before 1 p.m. Friday, and arrived to find flames coming through the east side of the wood-frame house at 503 Clyde Street. Fire crews from Pipe Creek, Richland and Union Townships and from Alexandria and Lapel soon arrived. Madison County Emergency Management Agency also responded.
Crews contained the fire by about 2:30 p.m. and Frankton Fire Chief Rob Amick said firefighters were putting out spot fires until about 4:30. He said Friday evening that the cause of the fire had not been determined.
Amick said the house was heavily damaged by fire on one side and that smoke damage was heavy throughout.
Shively said the house contained many antiques. “We were able to salvage a lot of that,” Amick said.
Amick said Frankton volunteers were on the scene of the fire within about seven minutes of the call, and credited the rapid response of mutual aid from other agencies.
“The Frankton Fire Department can’t thank the support they have from the community and the surrounding departments,” he said. “It’s amazing how we work together.”
Shively said he’s owned the house since 1978, but had not lived there since he remarried and moved into a house with his wife in Elwood a couple of years ago. He said he had been in the house earlier in the day to check on a roof leak, and said everything seemed fine.
He said the house, built in 1897, had been remodeled recently. He had hoped to put it on the market.
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com
Local News
Related Photos
-
Don Knight
-
Don Knight
-
Don Knight
-
Don Knight
Discussion
Fire guts big Frankton house
- Local News
-
-
Anderson man dies at Monroe Reservoir; 3 others arrested
Memorial Day weekend took a tragic turn Saturday evening as an Anderson man visiting Monroe Reservoir died. Three other Anderson men were arrested later that day following the death of Matthew Hosier, 29.
-
Getting Together: Silence not golden for this library program
Certain rules govern almost all libraries: be quiet, don’t mar the pages and absolutely no food or drinks on the premises. But a small group of patrons wait until after hours, lock themselves in the back room of the Alexandria-Monroe Public Library, eat popcorn, drink soda and loudly scoff as they watch bad movies.
-
Veteran receiving Bronze Star 68 years late
An Army veteran will be awarded a Bronze Star on Memorial Day — 68 years after he was originally supposed to receive it.
-
Memorial Day activities set
For Memorial Day weekend, here’s a list of activities to participate in.
-
Arrest Log: May 28
Arrests made by Madison County law enforcement on Saturday, based on Madison County Jail records. Charges are recommended by arresting officers, but are not final until the Madison County prosecutor reviews the case and files official charges.
- Conservation officers arrest Anderson boater on alcohol charge
-
What's Where: May 28
Local activities are scheduled Monday.
-
Handicapped murder convict alleges prison discrimination
Since October 2006, Donald Lock has been confined to a wheel chair because of a degenerative bone disease. He has spent time at correctional facilities throughout the state, but it wasn’t until he was transferred to Pendleton earlier this year that he said he felt his disability was ignored.
-
Arrest log: May 27
The following arrest log appears in the Sunday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Parents at Little League say coach took money
Parents of the North Anderson Little League filed a complaint with police against a former coach who they say stole fundraiser money.
- More Local News Headlines
-
