Jan. 05--COLUMBUS -- A Columbus Police officer saved city firefighters a little work early this morning when he was the first one on the scene of a house fire on Fifth Street.
Officer Heath Aldrich arrived at 2409 Fifth St. just after the 4:28 a.m. fire was reported and helped a father and three kids get out of the house before going back inside the structure and dousing the flames with his hand-held fire extinguisher.
The fire was caused by a combination of three children and a space heater, said Columbus Fire Chief Dean Hefti, who was at the fire scene this morning.
"There was a lot of heat and smoke damage inside the house," Hefti said.
The family left the home to spend the rest of the night at a relative's home because of the damage, the chief said.
The children's father reported the blaze. There were no injuries.
Copyright 2012 - Columbus Telegram, Neb.
