No one was harmed in an Orange Township house fire Wednesday morning.
Orange Township Fire Chief Matt Noble said firefighters were dispatched to a home at 331 Long Branch Run after receiving reports of a fire.
Noble said the investigation into the origin of the fire was still ongoing Wednesday afternoon but added that investigators believe the fire started on the upper floor of the home.
Noble said he did not know the name of the owner of the home. The Delaware County Auditor’s Office website indicates the home is owned by Venkata Navuluri.
Noble said the fire department was working on an estimate of the damage caused by the fire.
Scanner traffic indicated that the family was not home when the fire started. Two adults in the household were taking two children to school when they learned about the fire. Noble said the family was put in contact with the American Red Cross for support.
Noble said firefighters arrived minutes after the initial call and began the process of putting out the fire. Noble said the two-story home effectively has five levels. Noble said firefighters employed a technique called “transitional fire attack” because of the multiple levels of the house.
Noble said that in a transitional fire attack, firefighters outside a structure spray at the fire with water hoses to keep the fire contained to a small area while another team of firefighters brings a second hose closer to the fire and extinguishes it at the source.
Noble said the tactic was successful and the fire was put out very quickly.
Crews remained on scene and continued to deal with smoke after the fire was put out.
Noble said some floor collapse occurred because the of the design of the house.
Fire units from the Liberty Township, Worthington, Berlin Township and Delaware were all on scene as well as personnel from Delaware County EMS.
