Updated: Monday, March 2
Investigators say hot coals from a grill started a fire that destroyed an Overland Park home over the weekend.
Overland Park Fire Department Media Manager Jason Rhodes said in a statement Sunday that the fire at the home near 122nd Terrace and Gillette Street was accidental.
“The homeowner reportedly cooked dinner on the grill Saturday evening and it’s believed wind blew hot coals onto the deck overnight, starting a fire that spread to the home,” Rhodes said in an emailed statement.
Conditions in the Kansas City area last week, before Sunday’s wintry rainstorm, were generally dry and gusty, with a red flag warning issued for several hours on Friday afternoon.
Rhodes said the two adult residents of the home “woke to the glow of the fire,” and by the time they evacuated, fire had spread to the home’s living space and alarms were going off.
Both adults and a pet dog were able to escape the home unharmed, Rhodes said.
“Overland Park Fire wants to remind grillers to place spent coals in a metal container with a lid and store away from combustible surfaces,” Rhodes said.
Original story continues below:
Firefighters from three local departments battled a large house fire in southern Overland Park early Sunday morning.
Crews from Overland Park, Olathe and Lenexa were dispatched to the 13000 block of West 122nd Terrace, just off Pflumm Road, at 12:51 on Sunday.
While responding, firefighters were advised that someone may still be inside.
However, Overland Park police officers arrived to find that two adult residents of the house were outside and uninjured.
Arriving firefighters reported heavy fire from the front and rear of the two-story house near 123rd Street and Pflumm Road.
In a news release, Overland Park Fire Department Media Manager Jason Rhodes said firefighters initially attacked the fire inside the home but were forced to move outside and battle the fire from the outside due to the amount of fire and the risk of structural collapse.
A second alarm was sounded to bring additional manpower to battle the flames.
It took more than an hour to bring the fire under control.
No injuries were reported.
Police closed the northbound lanes of Pflumm Road at 123rd Street due to parked fire trucks and hoses running to a fire hydrant along the road.
Firefighters remained at the house Sunday morning to extinguish hotspots.
Rhodes said two adults and a dog were displaced by the fire and will be staying with friends.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
