Mid-Morning House Fire on Soundview Avenue Monday Does Severe Damage

No one was hurt in a mid-morning fire Monday on Soundview Avenue, although there has been a report that one or more animals may have been killed by the blaze that severely damaged the multi-unit house.

Police were first to reponded to the scene at 362 Soundview Avenue just after 10 a.m. Monday morning on a general alarm. Sgt. Wilcoxson, working nearby on an AT&T work site, arrived first and found thick, black smoke coming from the structure, and a male standing in the street in front of the house, identified as Gerald Bowers, 32, yelling that his father was still inside the home.

Officer Lindsey and Sgt. Wilcoxson were checking the house when bystanders pointed to a male a window near the back of the house, later identified as Gerald Bowers, Sr., 68. Police reported that Bowers was caught hanging upside down and Sgt. Wilcoxson reported, "I lifted him up and helped him get out the rest of the way."

Police reported that Bower's facial hair and hair on his head and arms were burned, and the elder Bowers was brought over to EMS who had arrived on the scene, along with the fire department. Police then blocked both ends of the street from traffic as more emergency personnel responded.

Bowers also told police that two dogs and four cats were inside the home, and police notified the fire department and animal control of that situation.

One nearby neighbor, Steve Taylor, said that he believed rescue personnel brought the body of a dog out of the house in a plastic bag. An Animal Control vehicle was still on the scene at 11:30 am.

Firemen remained on the scene at noon and remained cleaning up as building and fire inspectors continued their investigation.

At the height of the blaze, the fire severely damaged the interior and on the exterior it melted the vinyl siding.

Household items including mattresses were strewn about the exterior as firemen battled to get the blaze under control.