Afternoon Fire Destroys The Home Of Seven
By: Casie Mason
Updated: March 16, 2013
Seven people are without a home after a fire destroyed nearly everything this afternoon. Around three o'clock the Evansville Fire Department fought flames in the six hundred block of North Main Street.
The home sustained major smoke and fire damage. Fire department officials are not sure of the exact cause, but they believe the fire started in the front of the building. Scott Bassemier says he was just getting home when he saw the flames.
A three level home along North Main Street in Evansville, three separate apartments, and three sets of stories. Scott Bassemier lived on the top floor. He shared his story today. Bassemier says he was returning home from visiting a friend this afternoon when he pulled into the alley and saw his home in flames. "I ran in-between the houses. I opened the door up, and it was opened about two inches. I opened it up about half a foot or so. I saw two chairs on fire, fire going up the wall, across the ceiling, and heading towards the front windows." Bassemier says he shut the door and backed away. "When I saw the fire, there was no way I was going in there." He yelled for someone to call 911, then stood back and waited for help to arrive. Though his apartment on the top level was damaged, the apartment below is destroyed. "My buddy, John, lost everything. He lost all of his school books. He goes to school at Ivy Tech. He is in Chicago on spring break. He lost everything." Bassemier says this chapter of his story went up in a few minutes, all smoke and flames, but his neighbor and friend are where his thoughts are directed now. "John lost everything, everything pretty much. I might be able to save a few things in the very front room, but I don't know. It's too early. I was thinking about renters insurance just a couple of weeks ago, but we blew it off."
Tonight Bassemier and others from today's fire are getting help through the Red Cross. If you would like to help contact the Evansville Red Cross location.
A three level home along North Main Street in Evansville, three separate apartments, and three sets of stories. Scott Bassemier lived on the top floor. He shared his story today. Bassemier says he was returning home from visiting a friend this afternoon when he pulled into the alley and saw his home in flames. "I ran in-between the houses. I opened the door up, and it was opened about two inches. I opened it up about half a foot or so. I saw two chairs on fire, fire going up the wall, across the ceiling, and heading towards the front windows." Bassemier says he shut the door and backed away. "When I saw the fire, there was no way I was going in there." He yelled for someone to call 911, then stood back and waited for help to arrive. Though his apartment on the top level was damaged, the apartment below is destroyed. "My buddy, John, lost everything. He lost all of his school books. He goes to school at Ivy Tech. He is in Chicago on spring break. He lost everything." Bassemier says this chapter of his story went up in a few minutes, all smoke and flames, but his neighbor and friend are where his thoughts are directed now. "John lost everything, everything pretty much. I might be able to save a few things in the very front room, but I don't know. It's too early. I was thinking about renters insurance just a couple of weeks ago, but we blew it off."
Tonight Bassemier and others from today's fire are getting help through the Red Cross. If you would like to help contact the Evansville Red Cross location.
