By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays firefighters responded to a house fire at 413 W. 14th St. at about 11:30 this morning.
Shane Preston, deputy fire chief, said the front porch of the multi-level home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.
One person, tenant Cassandra Brockmann, was home at the time of the fire, but was able to evacuate from the home uninjured.
Brockmann lived in the home with her two young children and a roommate who lived in the basement. The downstairs tenant and the children were not home at the time of the fire.
No firefighters were injured fighting the fire.
One pet was killed in the fire. Another pet was located after the fire was under control and given oxygen. Two other pets in the home were found safe, Preston said.
Preston said firefighters initially attacked the fire with a single line from a brush truck and brought the fire in check before using additional lines to extinguish the fire.
An investigation concluded that the cause of the fire was improperly extinguished smoking material on the front porch.
Preston estimated damages to be more than $50,000.
He said the fire caused extensive damage to the porch and broke out the home's front windows, which allowed smoke into the structure. He said there was much smoke damage throughout the home. Smoke and heat also made it to the second floor.
Closed doors limited the smoke damage in the bedrooms.
"We want to remind people when they do smoke, be sure they extinguish those cigarette butts properly, empty their butt cans and make sure they have a water source they can throw their cigarette butts into," Preston said.