By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. CLAIR TWP. - A St. Clair Township fire exacted a heavy toll early Monday, capping a series of three serious Butler County blazes - one of which killed four horses - since Friday.

The St. Clair fire killed two pet dogs, injured two firefighters, destroyed a motor home and damaged the two houses flanking it, said Fire Chief Terry White.

Firefighters were called to Jackson Road near Trenton Road in Overpeck just before 2 a.m. Monday. While firefighters fought the flames that were consuming the motor home and causing heavy damage to a house at 2334 Jackson Road, the motor home's propane tank exploded, igniting a second house at 2342 Jackson, White said.

A pair of pit bulls inside the first house perished, White said. Firefighters spent about five hours battling the blaze.

Madison Township firefighters provided mutual aid; one Madison firefighter suffered a bruised ankle. A St. Clair firefighter became ill, possibly from smoke inhalation. Both were treated at Fort Hamilton Hospital and released, White said.

The fire is believed to be accidental, but its cause remained under investigation. No damage estimate was available.

Also on Monday, authorities continued to investigate the cause of a Hanover Township fire that destroyed a barn and four of the 11 horses it housed.

Fred Stitsinger, deputy fire chief in Hanover Township, said the cause is not believed to be suspicious; some electrical source or a discarded cigarette are two possibilities under investigation.

By the time firefighters arrived at the hay-laden barn in the 1200 block of Old Oxford Road just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, "the fire was already through the roof. It burned real fast and real hot," Stitsinger said. "We weren't able to save anything."

The owner of the horses, whose name was not available, rescued seven horses after a neighbor alerted him to the blaze, Stitsinger said.

Firefighters from Millville and Reily Township assisted; firefighters remained at the scene until after midnight Sunday.

In Hamilton, a fire in two houses kept the all six of the city's truck engine companies and one truck company occupied Saturday evening, said Steve Dawson, deputy fire chief.

The fire's origin remained undetermined Monday. The blaze caused $50,000 damage at 1124 Hanover St., and spread to the attic of a neighboring house, 1116 Hanover St., causing an additional $25,000 damage.

No injuries were reported.

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E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com