Updated: Tuesday, March 31, 11:45 a.m.
Firefighters from four Johnson County departments responded to neighboring homes on fire late Monday night in Shawnee.
Shawnee and Overland Park fire crews were first dispatched to the 5100 block of Garnett Street at 11:44 p.m.
On arrival, crews reported heavy fire coming from two homes on the block that were right next to each other. Crews went to work battling the flames, which had already spread inside both homes.
The incident commander upgraded to a second alarm, bringing in additional firefighters from the two departments already on scene, along with crews from Lenexa and Consolidated Fire District No. 2.
The response also included three Johnson County Med-Act ambulances along with Med-Act’s firefighter rehabilitation unit.
At the scene, the Post spoke with family members of residents from both homes, who confirmed that everyone and their pets had escaped the houses without injury before firefighters arrived.
In a statement on Tuesday, Doug Donahoo, the city of Shawnee’s communications director, confirmed that six people had been displaced by the fires, four from one home and two from the other.
Donahoo said the total damage estimate for both homes was $800,000.
On Monday night, neighbors on the block were bringing supplies to fill the immediate needs of the two displaced households and their pets.
One neighbor, Deborah Hamilton, provided the Post with a video that showed the two homes engulfed in flames.
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The fires were brought under control in about 45 minutes.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
No injuries were reported.
