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A home and garage at 1166 Watkins Road, south of Fort Recovery, were destroyed by fire on Friday afternoon.
FT. RECOVERY- A Fort Recovery home just south of the Mercer County line was decimated by flames midday on Friday.
The lone occupant at the time of the fire at 1166 Watkins Road escaped uninjured but a firefighter reportedly overheated and was treated on scene, according to Southwest Mercer Fire Chief Kim Day.
Day said the blaze began on the west end of the garage and quickly spread to the attic.
"When we arrived, the garage was fully engulfed, a two-car garage, and it quickly progressed into the attic of the house," he said. "It just shot through the attic of the house, so the ceiling collapsed in the living room area."
Firefighters from Southwest Mercer, Burkettsville, Union City, St. Henry and Coldwater fire departments respond to battle a blaze at 1166 Watkins Road. The lone occupant at the time of the fire got out unscathed but a firefighter reportedly overheated.
Homeowner Eric Brunswick was inside the residence when he smelled smoke and quickly called the authorities at 11:29 a.m., Day said. He got out of the residence unscathed.
Brunswick's wife and children were not home at the time of the fire, Day said. He said the Brunswicks plans to stay with nearby family for the night.
Still on the scene at about 3:15 p.m., Day told The Daily Standard the fire took roughly an hour to get under control.
"Our first initial task was to keep it from spreading to the attic," Day said. "We didn't have much luck with that. We couldn't get through it from the top, so we tried it from underneath and the side of the residence. When the ceiling caved in, that's when we backed out."
Though the house was deemed a complete loss, firefighters managed to salvage most of the belongings in the bedrooms and some photos from the living room walls, Day said. He was unsure of the damage estimate or if the home was insured.
He added it was too early to say if the state fire marshal would be involved in determining the exact cause of the fire.
Also responding to the scene were Burkettsville, Union City, St. Henry and Coldwater fire departments.
Firefighters help recover household items from a home ravaged by flames on Watkins Road.
