Fire Destroys Home in Jefferson Community

A fire Friday afternoon destroyed the home of Larry and Julie Brown at 242 Brown Lane in the Jefferson Community.
Central dispatch received the call at 2:44 p.m.
Roy Merriman, assistant county fire chief, said the fire appeared to have started from the utility or laundry room area of the home and spread from there. He said the cause of the fire has not been established for certainty but could have been triggered by lightning. Merriman says neighbors reported lightning from a passing thundershower at the time.
Merriman says while the fire destroyed the residence, firefighters were able to salvage some of the family’s belongings.
No one was home at the time of the fire and no one was injured.
Members of the Keltonburg, Blue Springs, and the Short Mountain Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded along with Tanker 1 and mutual aid assistance from the North Warren Fire Department who sent manpower and a tanker. DeKalb EMS was also on the scene.