(Riley County, KS - May 15, 2023) At 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning May 14, Riley County Fire District #1 was dispatched to 3503 Rocky Ford Circle to a residential fire alarm activated by a smoke detector. Upon arrival, crews found smoke inside the residence and a small attic fire. Five personnel and two apparatus responded from Stations 112 and 115. The fire was quickly contained, and crews remained on scene until 4:00 a.m. to ensure the fire had not extended to other areas of the home.
The cause of the fire was determined to be a faulty bathroom ventilation fan that overheated, then spread fire to the attic and a portion of the bathroom. Damage is estimated at $12,500 to the structure and contents. Darcie Hartwick is listed as the owner of the property.
No one was home at the time of the fire, but residents returned to the house just before fire department personnel arrived. No injuries to people or pets were reported.
“Due to early notification from the working smoke detector and alarm system, our firefighters were able to make a quick stop to this fire and prevent major damage to the home,” said Deputy Fire Chief John Martens. “I can’t emphasize this enough: install smoke detectors and make regular checks to ensure they are functioning properly. This fire happened in the middle of the night and could have gone unnoticed for many hours if not for the smoke detectors.”
Riley County Fire District #1 provides primary fire protection and emergency response to protect the lives and property of residents, businesses, and visitors across the unincorporated areas of Riley County, Kansas as well as several local communities inside the district including Leonardville, Ogden, and Randolph. Our primary response area includes suburban and rural areas totaling approximately 450 square miles and automatic aid with the City of Manhattan and the City of Riley.
Learn more about RCFD#1 online at www.rilecountyks.gov/fire or by calling (785) 537-6333 during regular business hours. Follow RCFD#1 on Facebook /RCFD1, Twitter @RileyCoFire, and Instagram RileyCoFire.
