Sunday, April 12, 1998
NEWPORT -- A cigarette apparently caused a fire that gutted a three-room house Saturday afternoon, causing about $25,000 damage, fire officials said.
Joe Phillips, 37, the sole occupant of the house at 923 Hamlet St., was uninjured. Mr. Phillips returned from the post office to find his home afire.
The fire, which started about 3 p.m., was put out in about 10 minutes, said Assistant Chief Jim Schafer.
The house was heavily damaged, but the structure remained intact. A house next door, at 925 Hamlet, was slightly burned on the side. Firefighters rescued a black dog named Midnight from the fire. "We were supposed to stay all night here and have Easter dinner here," said Mr. Phillips' friend Sue Tucker, visiting from Florida. "He was crying really bad."
American Red Cross workers helped Mr. Phillips remove some of his belongings from the house.
Indiana woman killed on I-275
An Indiana woman was killed early Saturday when she lost control of her car on Interstate 275 in western Hamilton County.
Patricia Guzman, 35, of Laurel, was driving north on I-275 near Interstate 74 when she drove off the left side of the highway. As she tried to return to the road, the left front tire on her 1997 Saturn flattened, rolling the car over and off the road. Mrs. Guzman was ejected during the roll. She was flown to University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The accident, which occurred about 7:30 a.m., remains under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department.
4 helped from balconies of burning building
Cincinnati firefighters rescued four people trapped above a fire Saturday morning in Westwood.
Fire crews were called to 3409 McKinley Ave. at 3:19 a.m. They found heavy smoke pouring from the brick building and four people trapped on balconies, said Glenn Coleman, District 3 fire chief. Fire crews assisted the four with ladders, Chief Coleman said. The fire is thought to have started when food was left cooking on a stove in a basement apartment in the 12-unit building. The occupants apparently fell asleep, Chief Coleman said.
Two adults and two children escaped from the basement apartment. Nathan Daniels, 23, and Melvina Sprevall, 22, were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Firefighters fought the blaze for 1 1/2 hours, containing most of the damage to the basement apartment, Chief Coleman said. Damage is estimated at $25,000.
Investigators suspect a smoke detector may have malfunctioned.
Artist to lead Kilgour in photography project
Kilgour School in Mount Lookout will kick off its Artist-in-Residence program Monday with a parent, community and teacher workshop at 3:30 p.m.
Artist Mary Strubbe will photograph participants for a self-portrait project.
The program is sponsored by Kilgour's Partner in Education, PNC Bank, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.
Twelve students will work with Ms. Strubbe this month on a photography project called "People, Places and Time." She also will meet with other Kilgour students.
Stabbed Middletown man in critical shape
A Middletown man was seriously injured Saturday in an early morning stabbing.
Police were called to the intersection of Young Street and Michigan Avenue about 2:12 a.m. and found Richard McClain, 46, stabbed in the chest, police reports said.
Mr. McClain was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. He was in critical condition Saturday, said a nursing supervisor. Investigators took Duane Wilkerson, 32, of Middletown into custody.
Columbus cop cleared in murderer's death
COLUMBUS -- A Columbus police officer who fatally shot an escaped murderer will not be charged, a prosecutor said.
A Franklin County grand jury decided not to indict Officer James Jardine for the Dec. 28 shooting death of Simmie Weaver, 42, said Assistant Prosecutor Ed Morgan.
Officer Jardine shot Mr. Weaver after he threatened the officer with a knife, police said. He later died.
Officer Jardine, 29, has been on administrative duty.
