02-26-2007An early morning building fire on CR 25 Sunday injured one person, left three families homeless and caused more than $700,000 damage.
According to the Warsaw Fire Department, around 6:35 a.m. Sunday an occupant of 3440 S. CR 25 Apt. B, Warsaw, awoke to the sound of a smoke detector and thick black smoke filling his apartment.
The man made his way to the other side of his apartment where he awoke his mother, who is on home oxygen, and helped her out of the apartment.
Once out of the apartment, the man called 911 and went to other apartments to alert other tenants about the blaze.
One person, whose name was not released by officials, was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, by Multi-Township EMS for treatment of minor burns and smoke inhalation.
Other occupants of the apartments were treated at the scene of the fire by paramedic crews.
“We were extremely lucky,” said Warsaw Fire Investigator Mike Wilson. “We are fortunate the smoke detectors were in working order.”
When Warsaw fire crews arrived at the scene, the two apartments at the south end of the structure had collapsed and fire extended to an open area-style attic.
Additional fire crews from Winona Lake, Claypool, Burket and Silver Lake were called to the scene, and when the additional crews arrived, the building was fully engulfed in flames.
In addition to the apartments, the building also housed a collection of antique cars and boats owned by Art Gakstatter.
The 23 antique vehicles, including an old Studebaker truck and a Rolls Royce, housed in the building were destroyed. Gakstatter had been collecting the cars for about 40 years. The building and its contents are considered a total loss, with a value of more than $700,000.
Weather conditions posed an obstacle in fighting the blaze.
“Icy conditions caused tankers to go off the road,” Wilson said, adding that since the fire was in a rural area, water had to be transported to the scene to fight the blaze.
One firefighter was injured at the scene of the fire after slipping on the ice. Capt. Ed Kipker was reloading hoses when he slipped and injured his lower back.
The residents of the apartments received assistance from the American Red Cross. Some are staying with family members and others stayed in a hotel provided by the Red Cross.
The Leesburg and Pierceton fire departments were on standby, while the Warsaw and Winona Lake fire departments battled the blaze.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.