Race Street house fire

No one was injured in a house fire that occurred at around 6:20 p.m. Saturday at 502 S. Race St. in Van Wert. A woman was reportedly asleep in the front room of the house (above) but was awakened by the fire sirens and was able to escape out the back door. According to reports at the scene, the front of the house had recently been renovated as part of the city Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP). Below, a city firefighter pulls down debris from the porch of the residence. Van Wert Fire, EMS and Police departments were at the scene, as was the Van Wert County Chapter of the American Red Cross. (Photos by Melissa Custer and Dave Mosier for the Van Wert independent)