MORGAN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A Morgan Township family that lost everything in a fire five years ago had the same thing happen Sunday night.
In addition to the terrible coincidence that fire struck the same family twice, there is another compounding problem in this rural part of Butler County: there are no fire hydrants on the road where the family lives.
With no hydrants available nearby, Morgan Township and other fire departments were forced to bring water back by tanker.
The owner said the fire started in a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle that he got a few months ago. He was doing some welding underneath and, even though he said he pulled the carpet back, the carpet caught fire. Two buckets of water didn't stop it, and it quickly grew out of control.
Thom Radomski-Bomba, a fire investigator with Morgan Township, said that fighting fires where water isn't readily available has its challenges.
"We deal with it by having as much water as possible already in the apparatus," Radomski-Bomba said. "Our primary engine carries quite a bit and we also have a tanker that comes out on every initial response, and then there's mutual aide that brings in water."
The family lost their original house five years ago in an electrical fire.
Neighbor Nathan Meyer said he felt sickened knowing the family is going through it again.
"Everything was great, I mean just perfect, and it's just horrible, horrible that the fire just got their house again," Meyer said.
He said neighbors came out to help after the first fire, and they'll do it again now.
"Anyone on this block, you can just reach out and they'll gladly help you," Meyer said.
