A Tuesday morning fire sent three Oktibbeha County firemen to the hospital to be treated for heat exposure.
Around 9 a.m., county firefighters arrived at 1381-B Sand Creek Road to find a large interior fire in the home of Joey Hawkins. The heat index was forecast to exceed 100 degrees Tuesday and temperatures were rising when members of the East Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene.
An aggressive interior attack from the front of the house successfully forced the fire out the rear of the house, but exposed firefighters to still higher temperatures within the structure.
Young Kerby, from the Bell Schoolhouse department; Steven Kaspryzk, from the East Oktibbeha department; and George Hubbard, from the East Oktibbeha department, were all transported to OCH Regional Medical Center to be evaluated and treated for heat related exposure. Chief Greg Ball and Assistant Chief Darrin Weber, of the East Oktibbeha department, were treated at the scene.
Ice and water were available to the firefighters throughout the operation and firefighters were rotated as necessary. The Bell Schoolhouse department mobilized tankers to ensure adequate water was available to fight the blaze and streams were not interrupted during the operation.
A faulty clothes dryer is believed to have sparked an electrical fire. While the house was not completely destroyed, the interior and rear of the home sustained heavy damage.
The Oktibbeha Starkville Emergency Response Volunteer Service has responded to assist the home”s occupants with temporary lodging.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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