The Merrill Fire Department was notified by Lincoln County 911 dispatch, just before 10:30 Tuesday morning for a report of a house on fire at 507 N. Ohio St., in the City of Merrill. Incident Command along with Merrill Fire personnel responded to the scene initially with Engine 2, Ladder 1 and Medic 1.
Upon arrival, Merrill’s Incident Commander called for an aggressive interior attack of the fire as conditions warranted due to limited smoke showing from the structure. Fire personnel quickly advanced a hose line to the origin of the fire, which was located in an upstairs bedroom. The attack crew quickly found the fire and extinguished it with a small amount of water. Overhaul of the bedroom started immediately as smoldering items were removed through an upstairs window. Ventilation was performed throughout the structure utilizing a positive pressure fan to rid the home of smoke.
Initial information upon arrival of fire personnel was that no individuals were in the house; however the Merrill Police Department requested an ambulance for an individual who was in the structure at the start who received burns from the fire and now was at a neighboring house. Medic 2 was dispatched to 503 N. Ohio St. to evaluate the patient who received the burns. The patient was then transported to Good Samaritan Health Center for further treatment. No other injuries were reported from the incident.
The Merrill Police Department was on scene for traffic control and assisted the Fire Department with investigation of the fire cause, which appears to be improper use of smoking materials at this time, however, the fire is still under further investigation. Smoke and water damage were very minimal to the home. Wisconsin Public Service was called to the scene to restore service to the residence.