On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 12:27 AM, the Mentor Fire Department responded to 8143 Clifton Ct for reports of a back yard grass fire or a fire close to the home.
Four (4) Mentor Fire Stations, the Mentor-on-the-Lake Fire Department, and the On-Duty Battalion Chief responded to the call. Upon arrival, crews found a working residential structure fire at the rear of the split-level home. They were able to quickly determine that everyone was out of the home.
An aggressive fire attack was employed to extinguish the blaze and ventilate the home.
A 31-year-old male was sent to a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation. The other residents were able to exit the home before fire crews arrived and were checked by EMS on scene. Although the home had working smoke detectors, their dogs alerted the residents of the fire before the smoke detectors sounded. Fire crews also rescued a cat from the home during the incident.
The home suffered significant damage. The Mentor Fire Investigation Unit remained on scene to determine an origin and cause. The investigation is ongoing and additional information is not available at this time.
The Mentor Fire Department would like to remind residents of the importance of checking your smoke detectors and changing the batteries, especially with the springing forward of clocks this past weekend.