Chief Grant Wiltbank heads to a fire truck this morning after an electrical fire at the Toledo Senior Center.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
TOLEDO – The senior center in Toledo will be closed for at least a few days after a fire there this morning.
Nobody was hurt and the damage was minimal but 15 to 20 people had to evacuate the building, according to Lewis County Fire District 2 Lt. Tracy Summers.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Summers said. “Wires in the electrical panel for some reason shorted out.”
About 18 personnel from four fire districts and Lewis County Medic 1 responded to the 9:09 a.m. call.
A computer class was being held upstairs and volunteers had just about finished unloading a supply of bread to give away to seniors.
“We all just exited the building, we didn’t stay inside,” said John Bruenn who was helping with the bread. “It was pop, pop, pop, pop, then fire was coming out the inside wall.”
The building, which is owned by Lewis County, sits on Coal and Second streets, next door to the fire station.
Firefighters used a dry chemical extinguisher on the flames, but it wasn’t going to stop burning until the power was shut off, either by PUD or a fuse tripping outside, District 2 Chief Grant Wiltbank said. It took 15 minutes for the fuse to kick off the electricity, he said.
“As soon as it blew, we went in, opened up the wall and finished it off,” Wiltbank said. “We didn’t have to use any water at all, fortunately.”
Fire extinguisher powder coated the floor, but the smoke had been chased out by the time fire investigator Adam Myer arrived.
The walls will have to be cleaned and possibly repainted, the chief said.
The building is insured.
Mike Strozyk, director of Lewis County central services, said the building will be out of service for awhile. He estimated a few days.
It will depend on Lewis County PUD and getting a contractor in here to rewire,” Strozyk said.
Summers said it was just four or five years ago when the senior center had a fire out the back door by the gas meter.
Wiltbank offered praise for the volunteers who, on a holiday, kept the incident contained.
“The crews did a very good job of confining the problem to the area of the electrical box till the power went out, so I’m really pleased with that,” Wiltbank said.
Lunch for seniors, normally served on Wednesdays and Fridays, will be cancelled tomorrow, as will be an exercise class, according to senior center site leader Diana Haug.
For information about when services will resume, seniors can call the Twin Cities Senior Center at 360-748-0061.
Mike Strozyk, Adam Myer and Doug Carey, facilities manager for Lewis County, examine the burnt panel box inside the Toledo Senior Center this morning.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter