Wellsville’s fire chief and another firefighter suffered injuries Thursday evening while fighting a house fire that did major damage in southeastern Franklin County.

A portion of the ceiling fell on the two firefighters while they were inside the house. Franklin County Ambulance Service paramedics treated firefighter David Edwards, 46, and Fire Chief Jim Stonequist, 50, at the scene about 20 miles southeast of Ottawa in Lane.

Edwards was transported to Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa and then taken by air ambulance to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. No information about his injuries was available Thursday night, according to a news release from Franklin County Sheriff Craig Davis.

Stonequist was treated at Ransom Memorial Hospital and released.

The home’s owner, Donald Eimer, 66, was not home when the fire started. His neighbor discovered the blaze at 822 S. Kansas Ave. Firefighters from Pottawatomie Township, Cutler Township, Richmond Township and Ohio Township fire departments also responded about 5:30 p.m.

Davis said the home suffered major damage and that the cause was under investigation but did not appear to be suspicious.