By Brittany Hart
A Columbus man and two city police officers were
hospitalized after a house fire Saturday night at 2016
Newton St.
Clinton Imel and patrol officers Ben Quesenbery and
Jennifer Van Vactor were treated for smoke inhalation after
the 9:45 p.m. fire.
Sgt. Dan Meister responded to the fire to find two of the
three occupants leaving the home. Warren and Betty Imel,
both 82, live in the home with their son, Clinton, 44.
Clinton remained in a back bedroom of the house, blocked
in by the flames, according to State Fire Marshal Roger
Johnson.
The fire, near the hallway entrance to the living room,
was causing thick smoke to spread quickly throughout the
house, Meister said.
"All I could see were papers burning beside a bookshelf
through the smoke," Meister said.
Johnson controlled the flames with a fire extinguisher
and a nearby garden hose, as Patrolman Quesenbery located
and helped Clinton out of the house.
"The flames were going up the living room wall," Johnson
said.
"I told the officers I could hold the fire down if they
could get the victim out. I kept the hose on the fire, while
the policeman crawled over top of me and dragged the guy out
of the house."
Officer Van Vactor also aided Johnson and Quesenbery
inside the burning home.
Quesenbery, Van Vactor and Clinton were treated and
released from Columbus Regional Hospital late Saturday.
Johnson was treated for smoke inhalation on the scene.
The house suffered an estimated $3,000 in smoke damage
and damage to the living room and hallway.
Johnson said the fire's cause has yet to be determined,
but the investigation is ongoing. He said no smoke detectors
were sounding during the fire.
The Imels are staying with relatives in town, according
to CPD Lt. Steve Norman.
Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Regional Hospital
assisted CPD in the incident.
bhart@therepublic.com