Toledo house fire
© WTOL
Explosions reported at structures on Norwood and Woodland avenues

About a half-dozen central Toledo homes were affected by two residential fires reported within about 30 minutes and 1½ miles of each other late Saturday and early today, leaving one family homeless, authorities said.

There were no reported injuries, according to the Toledo Fire Department.

Fire crews responded to a fire at a vacant duplex at the 1240 Norwood Ave. about 11:56 p.m. Saturday, a fire dispatcher said. Neighbors reported hearing an explosion. Reports indicated that three homes had caught fire.

About 12:23 a.m. there was another explosion and a house fire reported, this time at 381 Woodland Ave., according to the fire department. Toledo fire Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld said the American Red Cross was called to the address to assist residents with accommodations.

The dispatcher said fire crews had extinguished the flames at both locations but not before the two houses where the fires originated were a total loss and six neighboring houses damaged by the fires that had spread.

The fire on Norwood was extinguished by about 7:11 a.m. and the fire on Woodland by about 6:08 a.m., by which times fire crews left the fire scenes, she said.

Lucas County records list Marc Grant as the owner of the he 1½-story part-brick duplex at 1240 Norwood. The owner of the two-story part-brick house at 381 Woodland is listed as Jimmie Barton. The duplex was built in 1912 and the house in 1977.

Lieutenant Hertzfeld said fire damage was estimated at $120,000 at 381 Woodland and at $75,000 at 1240 Norwood.
Toledo home explosion
© 13ABC
Lt. Hertzfeld witnesses reported hearing explosions and that debris were found at the two fire scenes later "to suggest possible explosions." He said he was not suspecting foul play until fire investigators tell him otherwise.

The cause of the fires remains under investigation. The two incidents were being treated as separate, according to the spokesman.