ANSONIA – An Ansonia couple lost their home in a Friday morning fire but were thankful to get out unharmed.
“We may have lost our home but we still have each other,” David Pretzman said as he and his wife, Peggy, watched as their home of 15 years was lost to a fire Friday morning in Ansonia.
“We have lost everything … we’ll be OK, though,” he continued. “We were able to get out, and no one was hurt, but our cat is still in there. We lost our cat.”
At approximately 9 a.m. Friday, emergency personnel from Ansonia Fire and Rescue along with mutual aid responses from Versailles and Rossburg fire departments responded to the report of a trailer fire at 601 E. Canal Street lot 9 in Ansonia. Upon their arrival, crews reported heavy smoke and flames showing from the rear of the structure.
According to Ansonia Fire Chief Paul McClesckey, the fire is thought to have started at the rear of the structure in the bedroom area and spread throughout the home. He credited the swift response of both Ansonia Fire and mutual aid companies for the quick knock down of the fire and the prevention of it spreading any further.
Although the cause of the fire was ruled undetermined at this time, Chief McClesckey did not think the fire to be suspicious in nature and added that the fire will continue to remain under investigation.
The Northern Miami Valley Ohio chapter of the American Red Cross was requested to the scene to assist the elderly couple, who were left homeless after the fire.
