Extension Cord Caused Boston Road Fire

and Emergency Services put out a residential wall fire that apparently started with a short-circuited extension cord on Monday.

Residents at a house on the 14400 block of Boston Road called at about 5 p.m. Monday to report "a fire in the wall" and they “opened up the wall of the house but could not put out the fire,” the fire department said.

Four Strongsville fire units and a command car (12 firefighters and the shift commander) initially responded to the call. In addition, North Royalton, Brunswick and Middleburg Heights provided mutual aid.

When firefighters arrived, one of the occupants of the home was using a garden hose to attempt to put the fire out but was unsuccessful. Crews were sent to the attic where they encountered significant smoke. Working together, the crews in the attic and in the ground level doorway were able to extinguish the fire about 18 minutes after the initial call.

Damage from the fire was estimated to be about $46,000. There were no injuries. 

Two members of the Strongsville Fire Investigation Unit ruled that the fire was caused by the failure of an extension cord. The cord was located in the threshold of a doorway and was used to power an outdoor pump. The cord probably failed as a result of its outer insulation being worn away, overheating and causing a short circuit that ignited the surrounding combustible materials and spread to the adjacent wall, the fire department said.