Basement significantly damaged in southeast Wichita house fire

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The basement of a house in southeast Wichita was significantly damaged Tuesday.

The Wichita Fire Department was called just after noon for the report of a house fire in the 700 block of S. Estelle Ave. Crews arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from the home.

Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Terry Gresham says the fire was in the basement and on the first floor. The stairs to the basement were burned.

“So, a little bit trickier,” said Gresham. “We don’t like to fight fire above fire.”

Gresham says crews had to think outside the box to extinguish the fire.

“We put a ladder down the stairs, and the crews were able to get to the basement and finish knocking out the fire down there,” said Gresham. “It kind of delayed us a little bit. First crews on the top floor were able to put out the fire pretty quick.”

According to Gresham, the entire basement and half of the main floor were damaged by the fire.

No one was reportedly injured. Gresham says the homeowner was outside by the time crews arrived on the scene.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.