1 taken to hospital from Piqua house fire

A Piqua woman was taken to a hospital Wednesday after her home was engulfed in flames, a fire official said.

Assistant Fire Chief Brent Pohlschneider of Piqua Fire Department said when fire crews arrived at 540 Staunton St., the two-story wood frame structure was fully involved in flames. Losses to the home and contents have been estimated at $60,000.

All the occupants were out of the home when firefighters arrived, said Pohlschneider, and one person was taken to Upper Valley Medical Center near Troy for evaluation. There was no information about the person's condition. Fire officials do believe she has been released from the hospital.

Miami County building inspectors say the home is unsafe for reenter, said Pohlschneider.

The Northern Miami Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting with relocating the residents.  That included a grandmother, daughter and 5 or 6 grandchildren, said Pohlschneider.

The cause is under investigation. According to Pohlschneider, investigators with the state fire marshal's office were on scene to assist.

David Smith from Lena, who was on his lunch break from his job at Custom Aerosol Packaging, across the street from the fire, said he kept the elderly woman from going back into her burning home.

Smith said he heard multiple explosions of what he thought was an oxygen tank and later power lines. The woman said she was smoking in bed when the fire started, said Smith, who noted that she had a burned oxygen hose hanging from her face.

"It was a horrendous ordeal,” said Smith.