Officials on Friday said fireworks that had been shot off outside an Indiana Street residence smoldered and then ignited a couch on the porch and eventually destroyed the home.
Firefighters were called about 5 a.m. Thursday to the house at 1005 Ind., which had been converted into apartments.
According to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Chief Mark Bradford, occupants of the home "were throwing fireworks in and around that couch. It acted like a smoldering cigarette. It sat there and smoldered for a period of time until it turned into an open flame."
The cause was determined based on evidence and interviews, Bradford said. Bradford couldn't confirm how many of the occupants were involved with shooting off fireworks, saying the investigation was continuing. He did say numerous people had been at the house early Thursday before the fire. Four men, the occupants of the house, were in the house at the time of the fire, and all escaped.
Bradford said a "short period of time" passed between the time the men went inside the house and when the fire was reported at 5 a.m., Bradford said. The fire caused $360,000 in damage and destroyed the house.
"Any time anybody uses combustibles near ignition sources of any sort, a couch or cardboard boxes, a wooden deck in general, extreme caution needs to be used, and it's quite frankly just not a good idea," Bradford said.
Often fires are started when an ignition source has been left unattended on or near a combustible, Bradford said. Cigarette butts in a house or a grill on a wooden deck, for example, are common incidents, he said.
"Routinely, these types of incidents go unnoticed," he said. "Once it's in free flame, there's no stopping it."
"If you're out there, you can quickly report it or extinguish it."
In this case, the fireworks were shot off illegally.
"People need to understand we have an ordinance that permits the use of certain type of fireworks : other than what is permitted by code or permit, and they didn't have either," he said.
Three people were treated for injuries from the fire.
Sam Buhler, a Kansas University senior from Lawrence, was transported to Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., for injuries he suffered from jumping out of the third story of the house to escape the fire. The hospital could not provide details on Buhler's condition. But Thursday night, his father, Mark, said Sam had suffered smoke inhalation, had injured a knee severely enough to require surgery and had several cuts.
Another occupant of the house was treated at Lawrence Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation and later released.
A firefighter also was treated at the LMH for non-life-threatening injuries.
Comments
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igby (anonymous) says…
Again, couches on the porch are to blame!Get some furniture that won't burn easy for the porch.
davidsmom (anonymous) says…
There are reasons why fireworks in the hands of Joe Public are illegal within municipalities. Unfortunately, it is difficult to enforce legislation against people's stupidity.
Fatty_McButterpants (anonymous) says…
And the Darwin Award goes to...
flyin_squirrel (anonymous) says…
This house was NOT broken up into apartments. It had been remodeled back to the original house.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…
"Unfortunately, it is difficult to enforce legislation against people's stupidity."It would seem that stupidity is self-enforcing.
TheSychophant (anonymous) says…
I viewed the Six News on-lihe video interview of two of the occupants, and therefore am not the least bit surprised that the fire originated with "stupidity." Hey.dudes, we were all once of college age, or attended college, in our youth, and understand that fun can sometimes deterioriate into fu**up. But come on, don't you have any shame. Your shenanigans injured two of your housemates, one severely, not to mention the extensive property damage, and the taxpayer costs to clean up your mess. Yeah, I know the consequences were not intended, and it could have happened to a lot of us who were once twenty years old, but come on, hadn't you sobered up a bit before you went on camera. You should be embarrassed by your parting epithet of "party." Yeah, party on, Garth. Hope you have enough sense not to brag about your TV fame to your folks. If I were your dad, I give you slap to the head, followed by a sober and serious lecture.
Disposable (anonymous) says…
"Four men, the occupants of the house,..."Ah-hem - How many? Doesn't that violate the...oh nevermind...who's counting anyway...
nye34 (anonymous) says…
um... you can have as many people you want living in houses in the downtown area. Nice try though disposable.
Yabut (anonymous) says…
"Police: Smoldering fireworks caused house fire". I'm sorry, am I missing something? Did the headline writer even read the story or watch the clip? There's no mention of police anywhere here. Or are our fire fighters are also police now?1. Fine the kids for having a couch on the porch - that's against city ordinance.2. Fine the kids for using fireworks -that's against city ordinance.3. Fine the kids and the landlord for violating the "no more than 3 unrelated people" law.At least the first two were a direct cause of the fire, and they should have to be held accountable. They're lucky it didn't turn out worse.
cloggedjhawk (Wendy magillicutty) says…
I wouldn't call these BOYS men quite yet.
thebcman (anonymous) says…
they should all be charged with arson and attempted murder.
smitty (anonymous) says…
Headline says Police.....but here is nothing in the article from ...police.....? WTF??? Why indicate police and have nothing in the article about police. Nice quotes from the LFD though.Editorial snafu, sure, but why? Intentional, incompetent, just an honest mistake(history ignored)? It is easy to presume the same snafus are happening with other issues.Please try again.
Fatty_McButterpants (anonymous) says…
Oh...did the headline get you all hot and bothered "Smitty," only to be let down??
blakely00 (anonymous) says…
I am completely shocked by the response from this Lawrence community. The blatant disregard and disrespect for human life is absolutely disheartening and to be quite honest, frightening. Put yourself in my position:imagine this young man, the one still in the hospital, is someone you love. Would your response still be that of, "they should all be charged with arson and attempted murder?" I feel sorry for whoever belongs to the individual who had the audacity to write something filled with such hate. I love my friend very much and am so thankful he had the courage to jump/save his own life:maybe you should have the courage to own up to your ridiculous comments and thank your lucky stars you've never had to experience the kind of fear so many of us have endured over these past few days.