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Wiring touches off fire in attic, passerby helps woman escape
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · July 21, 2016


On his way home from visiting his parents, Ryan Lynch passed the home of Ruby Franke and saw smoke coming out of the roof.


“I smelled it and knew it wasn’t someone having a bonfire,” he said.

He rushed to the front door of 328 North Downey, saw Franke inside and knocked.

She stood up, and he went in.

“You have to get out! Your house is on fire!” he remembered telling her.

Neighbor Beth Noe came over and the two helped Franke cross the street to Noe’s front yard and helped her to a lawn chair.

Lynch called 911.

“It’s a good thing it wasn’t a couple hours down the road,” Lynch said, since darkness would make it less likely for someone to see the smoke.

West Branch Fire Department brought five trucks and 17 firefighters, and a mutual aid request brought two Tipton Fire Department trucks and 15 firefighters. West Branch Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Cedar County Sheriff and Johnson County Ambulance Service responded, too.

Using extension ladders, firefighters climbed up to the second-story attic to break out the front and rear windows to reach the flames. WBFD Chief Kevin Stoolman said an initial investigation suggests electrical wiring caused the fire.

“At the beginning, there was a lot of smoke, so it took a few minutes to find the fire,” he said.

Stoolman called the smoke and fire damage “pretty extensive,” especially to the attic. The home received some water damage as well, he said, especially to the west end of the trusses.

The fire chief commended Lynch for his fast action.

“Ryan did an excellent job,” Stoolman said. “She wasn’t even aware her house was on fire.”

Stoolman said firefighters were able to cover up most of the home’s contents for salvage.

Solon Fire Department also responded to the fire call, but WBFD called them off en route. Firefighters remained on the scene for about three hours, Stoolman said.