HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) responded to an emergency call Monday, April 14, at 12:27 p.m., regarding a structure fire in the 600 block of north Plum Street.
According to a press release from HFD Division Chief Jesse Martin, dispatch reported that two individuals were trapped on the second floor of the residence.
Upon arrival, the first HFD units encountered heavy smoke billowing from a two and one-half story single-family home. Two female occupants were seen escaping through second-story windows onto the roof. The first arriving officer promptly organized a ground ladder rescue for one of the women and initiated an offensive interior attack on the fire. Simultaneously, the truck company on scene deployed their aerial ladder to safely rescue the second woman from the roof.
Given the challenging conditions inside the residence, including intense heat and smoke, the response was escalated to bring all available HFD units to the site. Firefighters deployed offensive handlines to the basement, as well as the first and second floors, to combat the fire and prevent its spread. Search teams also scoured the residence to ensure no other occupants were trapped.
Both rescued individuals were handed over to Reno County EMS and transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in stable condition. During the search, firefighters discovered two cats, which were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene before being taken by animal control for further observation.
The fire was declared under control by 1:19 p.m., although the cause remains under investigation by the HFD Fire Marshals office. HFD expressed gratitude to several agencies for their support during the incident, including Hutchinson/Reno County Communications, Hutchinson Police Department, Reno County EMS, Hutchinson Public Works, Kansas Gas, Evergy, Hutchinson Public Communications Office, Hutchinson Information Technologies & 1-800-BoardUp.
