Franklin Street fire
Two homes damaged; no one hurtBy Kevin Pierson and Brad Bauer, The Marietta Times
Article Photos
Fire ripped through a vacant Franklin Street home late Monday evening and spread to an adjacent house, causing significant damage to both structures.
Fire investigators are attempting to determine the cause of the blaze, which was dubbed "suspicious" by Marietta Fire Chief Tom Dempsey.
"Every floor was involved when our guys first arrived," Dempsey said. "We have had several suspicious fires in this neighborhood over the past two or three years."
The fire was reported at 11:25 p.m. at a foreclosed home at 138 Franklin St.
Before firefighters could contain the blaze an adjacent house at 140 Franklin St. also caught fire. Around 12:30 a.m. today firefighters entered a third home at 142 Franklin St. after an American Electric Power employee thought he saw smoke in that home. The worker was in a bucket truck disconnecting power to the burning homes. No fire was detected in the 142 Franklin St. property, which was also vacant.
"Nobody has lived in the house next door (at 138 Franklin St.) so I don't understand how it caught fire. I'm devastated really," said Judy Burge, of Ward Street, Marietta, whose mother, Clara, had lived in the home at 140 Franklin St. until January.
Burge said she had been attempting to sell the house for several months. The property was listed for sale with Century 21. Marietta's Full Service Realty Web site lists an $18,000 sale price for the more than 100-year-old, two-story frame home at 140 Franklin St.
Burge said no offers had been made on the home, which sits in a block with four of the six homes vacant. Only the two houses on the corners are currently occupied.
"The realty company has been showing it a lot," Burge said.
Burge said she is uncertain if the insurance company will cover the total cost of damage to the home caused by the blaze but the family does have some coverage on the building.
Since her mother had moved out of the structure was largely empty but did contain some furniture and family photographs that had not yet been removed, Burge said.
Jody Gramkow, of Franklin Street, who lives directly across from the two homes, said she was startled by the late-night blaze.
"I just remember the reflection of it coming through my window. I looked out and wondered 'what the hell is going on,'" Gramkow said.
Gramkow said she did not know the Anderson family very well but had great affection for Clara Burge, an elderly lady who suffered from health issues.
"I love her to death. She was awesome," Gramkow said.
A cause of the fire has not been determined but neighboring residents said they had observed people entering the house at 138 Franklin St. late at night after it had been foreclosed by the bank.
As many as three times in the last week, and as recently as Friday night, people had been observed in the Anderson house, according to multiple witnesses on scene.
"I didn't call (the police) and I really should have," Gramkow said.
Marietta Police Department Sgt. Rod Hupp said he had not heard any reports of individuals entering the home prior to the blaze.
"I don't have any information on that at all," Hupp said.
Fire investigators are expected to continue sifting through the shelled houses today in an effort to determine where and how the fire began. There was electrical service to the homes at the time of the fire, Dempsey said.
In addition to Marietta, Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department assisted with battling the blaze. Fearing Volunteer Fire Department responded with additional air supply for firefighters.
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CluelessOH
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07-09-08 5:35 AM
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There you have it. It costs money for training. It costs money for equipment. It costs money for salary. It costs and costs and costs. Forget about third party billing. If you want more fire fighters, pay the taxes to get them in place. And if you find that the city council is squandering the money, vote them out and run yourselves for that office. Maybe you can do better. As I saw on CNN the other day on Lou Dobbs. There is only one good Senator/Congressman (Councilman) and he/she is the one in my district. The rest are usless. How about going to the meetings and see which are usless and get them out, or at least let them know that if they don't change, you will see that they do get removed. That is the only way to get this fixed.
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JackHansis
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07-09-08 12:35 AM
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Rome burns while Nero fiddles. Maybe I should say Marietta burns while our City Leaders fiddle around. It's clear Chief Ted Baker saw the need for more ffighters. He proved his case to Mayor Matthews. Joe told Ted to find a way to fund ff's. Ted did by utilizing 3rd party billing. And almost a million dollars later, yep that's $1,000,000 there are zero, zip, nobody, no additional ff's to show for the citizens supporting this measure. Wake-up city leaders. Are you more qualified as experts in fire protection and prevention than the NFPA and several other agencies? Give the citizens of Mtta the protection that they want & deserve. This is the USA and we are welcomed to our opinions, but some comments here are just plain ignorant concerning MFD manpower. Every 2 yrs. about 100 people test for employment at MFD and only about 1/3 pass everything. If they are lucky they became one of about a handful of guys that make the department. As a former volly, I don't see the rush the other way
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JackHansis
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07-09-08 12:19 AM
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Congrats MFD guys on knocking down a couple more. Bad time for me to go vacationing in the Volunteer state of TN. Just read the story online after a certain ZFD member called. Proud of you guys! You do so much with so little. Also, a little shout out of thanks to the volunteers that covered the city during that time. Who covered your townships, while you were making up for Marietta's understaffing? Shame the city leaders hasn't figured out that fires, heart attacks and accidents don't schedule themselves at more appropriate times. At least this time there wasn't any loss of life or burn victims. Maybe you could give MFD the manpower to do their job effectively and safely? As a city citizen/taxpayer, I would sleep better knowing that my family and property had an appropriate amount of protection. Keep up the fight guys!
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flipper
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07-08-08 11:18 PM
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linejudge are you blaming the fd for the woes of the general fund? The real problem is the incompetence of the past city council finance committee and administration. Spending everything you have in savings for numerous studies has drained the general fund not to mention a 3 million dollar pool. As for the levy fund if the city had not given back 1/10 of the levy the fund would not have to be subsidized and would be in surplus. The city should also be splitting the 3rd party billing money between the general and levy based on who made the run-if a levy station provides the service do they get the money? 11% over three years sounds like a cola to me. Are you still working for the same amount you did 3 yrs ago?
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LineJudge
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07-08-08 10:48 PM
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Buckeye84, I don’t think anyone is disputing that facts here, I think the real topic is… Is it worth $60,000 a year per additional firefighter in the event of a fire of this magnitude that may only occur once every 5 years. Particularly when there are very capable Volunteer Fire Depts. very near. I also don’t believe that there is any question as to the competency of the MFD. It is all a question of cost for benefit.
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buckeye84
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07-08-08 10:29 PM
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Some of you people really need to get your facts straight. If you were listening to a scanner there were two squads out taking 4 firefighters leaving only 4 firefighters to respond. Now think about that of the four you have a pump operator and an officer leaving only two guys to fight fire in 2 houses so much for Ohio law of 2 in 2 out. The initial fire call was for one structure, but within minutes of the first 911 radio traffic a second call for 2 structures involved came in. The second structure was already involved before the fire department arrived. At least WTAP got that part correct. The fire chief was quoted on the news as saying both structures were on fire upon their arrival. MFD did a great job of containing the fire to the two structures already involved and keeping it from spreading to the third structure.
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steelcurtain
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07-08-08 9:42 PM
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As it is for you Darby to make those type of comments from the comfort of your own armchair.
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Darby1952
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07-08-08 9:34 PM
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I have to agree that most of you people should run for office and fix these problems.I mean from what I read, you have ALL the answers. But wait,, you won't do that, will you? I bet you wouldn't even go to council meetings to voice your opinion. It is so much easier to hide under a internet nickname and be an armchair know it all. LOL
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factman
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07-08-08 6:15 PM
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Finallap, the M.F.D. is one of the biggest draws on the city's general fund and the Third Party Billing revenue is going into this. It sounds like they are just helping to keep themselves in a job by keeping the general fund in good shape. The city can not afford to pay all year long, wages and benefits, the number of firefighters they say they need to have available for the number of fires that we actually have.
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Orchardfarmer
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07-08-08 5:20 PM
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Is there a Volunteer contingent? Why not ask for a group of volunteers who get trained and then called up in emergencies to back up the full-time firefighters? In a city the size of Marietta, I bet 20 volunteers would come forward - and we only need about 5. The same could be done to create a backup force for the EMS. Most small communities in the area are totally volunteer - why not keep our full-time force as is and add an emergency force?
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Contrarian
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07-08-08 5:04 PM
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The Taxpaying people have three firehouses, but wonder why more volunteers aren't used to cover fires when they could be. Firefighters do cost money, and they do a great job. But I don't think Marietta can afford to divert a ton to firefighters or to the court. It has to balance priorities.
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BIGDMARSHALL
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07-08-08 4:53 PM
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Finallap your absolutly correct on the billing part. But instead the city finds a way to take it, same way with the sheriff office also.So who's getting screwed here. I think the paying tax people are.
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Finallap
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07-08-08 4:26 PM
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Linejudge I may be partialy wrong..Ted Baker did fight for 3rd party billing so they could hire more firefighters..Not 1 penny has went to hire more fighters
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LineJudge
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07-08-08 3:20 PM
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Clueless, your statements are a bit simplistic and a little miss placed, but the basic point is valid. It dose cost money, a lot of money, to staff just one firefighter. That said, we may have more money to reach higher staffing levels if we hadn’t just given an 11% raise to the current firefighting staff. Finallap, Your statement is just plain incorrect. The 3rd party billing (aprox $500,000) goes to the General Fund and the General Fund subsidized the Fire Levee Fund aprox $100,000 and paid more than $1 million (a very conservative estimate) to operate the 3rd St. fire station alone. In general, fires like these are rare in Marietta and that is where co-operation with local Volunteer Fire Depts. are valuable.
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CluelessOH
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07-08-08 2:34 PM
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Oh another thing. Why don't you people volunteer? That would solve everyones problem.
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CluelessOH
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07-08-08 2:33 PM
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Pay up or shut up.
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CluelessOH
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07-08-08 2:32 PM
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Maybe you guys need to run for office. I would vote for you. But it seems that everyone that runs has good intentions. Or at least that is what they say when they are running. Then once in office, they fall into the same rut that the last person to hold the office wore out. As far as these studies are concerned, if they hadn't done them you people would have started crying foul. That the building cost to much. Well I think that after 3 or 4 studies, we have found that it is going to cost Marietta tax payers 3.8 million. I am just glad that I don't live in Marietta city limits.
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Finallap
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07-08-08 1:45 PM
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Clueless Thats what 3rd party billing for emergency runs was suppose to had been for..That is what Ted Baker fought for..It generates over a half a million a year..But not 1 penny from the emergency runs has went to the fire dept..It all goes into the general fund for them to waste
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BIGDMARSHALL
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07-08-08 1:32 PM
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I like to comment on clueLess , If the mayor and our city officials would stop wasting money on studies for new facilties and basically letting almost $80,000 go down the drain thanks to a lawsuit. They may just have the money to get 1 or 2 extra firefighters. The money that is wasted in the city fr a study on this this and that is just plain old blowing money down the drain. Would you spend $1000 on a study to search for a new car and see which is the right one. Heck no you wouldnt. You would use that $1000 as part of your down payment. Common sense is what we ask for not wastfullness.
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CluelessOH
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07-08-08 1:19 PM
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Ledzeptour: The Mayor would be glad to get all of the fire fighters you want. Just send him a check to cover the bill. These people and equipment are not free you know. It sounds like Moon needs to raise taxes if you people really want it.
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BIGDMARSHALL
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07-08-08 1:14 PM
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This is only proving to the citizens of Marietta, of the meaning Idiots in Office. It takes manpower to put out these large structural fires. Not more firetrucks, They were on squad runs because they can make money from that. That why they need more manpower for fires. And to think they have 4 guys on this is absurd. A few years back ,wait you'll love this. A Old barn on Franklin street a huge barn about the size of these 2 houses went up in flames. And well the whole fire department came. If i recall about 9 trucks responded. Why was the barn more important than the houses? ASk them but Makes me wonder.
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Finallap
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07-08-08 11:21 AM
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Yes Contrarian everyone did respond appropriately with what they had..But what they had was not enough..Ok.there were 2 squads out on runs when this call came in..That takes 4 firefighters right there..I know Harmar hill station only has 2 on duty at a time..The main station I am not sure if they have 4 or 6 on duty..At most that left 6 firefighters to make the initial attack..That is just not enough for a fire of this magnatude..Would the fire had happened? Yes.. Would the other house caught fire if there had been more firefighters? I dont know,but I bet it would not had burnt nearly as bad if there had been more firefighters...The Marietta Fire dept does a wonderful job with what they have..But they need more resourses to do the job right..There just so much they can do
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Contrarian
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07-08-08 10:58 AM
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So with additional resources this fire wouldn't have happened? Are you blaming the police department, the administration or council? Or everybody? Sounds like everyone responded appropriately.
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ledzeptour
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07-08-08 10:19 AM
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Does it take the loss of a life before we the people of Marietta force our elected officials to provide the proper manpower needed for our fire and police departments so they may function safe!!!! Someone needs to grow some ..... and make things happen for our city and citizens!
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Finallap
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07-08-08 9:21 AM
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This could had been a real tragedy.. I was listening to the scanner,when the fire dept was dispatched..At the time 2 squads had been dispatched on squad runs..So how many did that leave to make the initial attack on the fire? 4 maybe 6 firefighters . What if these houses were occupied and there was someone trapped..They would not had a chance.. Mr Mayor,City council WAKE UP!!!!!! Give the fire dept the resources they need to do their job. PLease before it cost someone their life
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