KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fire investigators say a passerby prevented what could have been a fully-involved house fire Saturday morning in Johnson County.
Firefighters from Overland Park, Consolidated Fire District #2, and Shawnee Fire responded to a house fire just after 5:15 a.m.
When crews arrived at the scene at Lowell and Johnson Drive, they found an exterior fire that they quickly knocked down. It damaged a hot tub, surrounding structure, and some of the home's siding.
Firefighters say windy conditions and a fire pit helped to spread the flames. Overland Park firefighters had responded to the home on Friday night when flames from a fire pit spread to surrounding leaves and sticks. The homeowner had put out the fire before crews arrived. Investigators believe the wind blew embers to other areas of the yard and caused the flare-up this morning.
Everyone inside the home got out safely.
Overland Park Fire says residents should keep fire pits at least ten feet from combustibles, only burn dry, seasoned firewood, keep a means of suppression nearby and always completely extinguish fires before leaving them unattended.
