Three hurt in fire in Franklin duplex

Three people FRANKLIN — were injured in an early morning fire at a duplex in Franklin with one resident being credited for alerting neighbors to get out of the burning structure.

Firefighters from Franklin and three other departments were called to the blaze in the 500-block of Anderson Street that started before 5 a.m. Sunday in one of the duplex units.

The resident in one of the units was banging on the door of the adjoining unit to wake elderly neighbors to get them out of the two-story wood structure.

Jessie Hipsher of 519 Anderson St. got his wife Jody and her brother Howard Cramer out of the burning structure as well as banging on his neighbor’s door in the adjoining unit at 517 Anderson St. to get those three people out to safety with the clothes on their backs.

Hipsher’s wife and brotherin-law were taken to the Kettering Franklin Emergency Room to be treated and both were transferred to Kettering Medical Center.

“He got everyone out of the house,” said Jeff Morris, who lived in the next structure at 515 Anderson St., about 1.5 feet from the burning duplex structure. unit. “He’s the one that saved everybody.”

Morris also said the firefighters “did an awesome job” in preventing the fire from spreading to his and other neighboring structures. He had lived in his home for about 10 years.

While he hadn’t been inside his home, Morris imagined there would be smoke and water damage.

Another neighbor a few doors down at 511 Anderson St., Aaron Richards said he was concerned about the fire spreading to his home. He said they couldn’t leave because of all the fire hoses across the sidewalk.

One dog was reported to have perished in the blaze. A firefighter was a bit overexerted and transported for medical attention but returned back to the scene, according to Franklin Fire Chief Jonathan Westendorf.

Westendorf said firefighters from Franklin, Middletown, Franklin Twp., Carlisle and the Joint Emergency Medical Services worked to get the fire put out only to see it restart again.

Hipsher, who lived there for about 20 years, said the fire started after an old radio shorted out in the front room of his home.

ED RICHTER / STAFF A crew from Rudd Sons Excavating begins digging in the right of way in front of a duplex located in the 500-block of Anderson Street to disconnect the gas line service.