Multiple blazes, accidents keep local firefighters hopping

Clear Lake and Ventura volunteer firefighters have been putting in long hours during the past week, responding to numerous fire calls and vehicular accidents.

Early Saturday morning, March 15, fire engulfed the unattached shop and garage at the Donald Welty residence at 4392 290th St., Clear Lake.  At 1:31 a.m. the Clear Lake Fire Department was dispatched, along with Ventura Fire

 Department mutual aid, to a report of a garage fully involved north of Clear Lake between Eagle and Dogwood Avenue.   

A neighbor, Denny Whitehurst, saw the fire from the window of his residence not far away.  He alerted his son, Jake Whitehurst, to go to the Welty property and wake them. Jake, who joined the Ventura Protective Association in 2013, called 911 and then after getting the family up, assisted in moving three vehicles before responding to the Ventura Fire Department to make the call.

The first arriving company on scene from the Clear Lake Fire Department was faced with a large volume of fire. 

“They did a super job protecting an exposure of the primary residence only feet away from the flames,” reported CLFD Pubic Information Officer Billy Krefft.  “A second and third company, as well as the CLFD tanker truck and two companies from Ventura, were all on hand to shuttle water and assist on overhaul.”

Authorities say that by Denny Whitehurst spotting the fire and Jake Whitehurst’s quick action, only the garage and its contents were destroyed.  Firefighters were able to prevent the - Read More Via e-Edition