South End fire causes $15,000

Electrical overload caused by space heaters started a fire that did an estimated $15,000 damage to a South End duplex Sunday morning.

The Superior Fire Department was called to the home at about 8:22 a.m. when the upstairs residents reported smelling smoke, according to Battalion Chief Vern Johnson.

Through the use of a thermal imaging camera, firefighters were able to find a hot spot in the space between the floor of the upper apartment and ceiling of the lower one. When they opened up the area, they found the cellulose insulation was burning. Once that fire was out, smoke was still coming from the eaves of the building.

A second inspection of the space between the apartments led to the location of a second hot spot closer to the fuse box.

Johnson said the space heaters were being used to heat the duplex because the fuel oil for the building had run out. He said that according to policy, when an electrical problem causes a fire and the wiring is compromised, no one can live in the building until it is fixed and brought up to code.

Three occupants were listed on the fire department report. According to Howie Leathers, spokesperson with the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross, none of the residents requested assistance from the agency.

“The residents are staying with family,” he said.

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