Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Early morning brush fire at Porter Beach

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The Porter Fire Department battled a brush fire for nearly four hours early this morning on the dunes overlooking Porter Beach.

Fire Chief Lewis Craig told the Chesterton Tribune that the brush fire appears to have started after an abandoned house at the top of the hill on the far south end of Duneland Drive--formerly Dabbert Drive--was set on fire by persons unknown. That blaze destroyed the house, which had been previously slated for demolition, and quickly ignited the surrounding brush.

Craig estimates that approximately five acres were ultimately involved. The PFD--assisted by the Chesterton, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores, Ogden Dunes, and National Park Service (NPS) departments, along with Porter Regional Hospital EMS--doused the fire with something like 800 gallons of water.

No one was injured, Craig noted, but fighting the fire was complicated by a fence line, which forced one unit to leave Porter Beach entirely, make the long trip around to Indiana Dunes State Park to the east, and then drive up to the old Green Tower site and access the fire from there.

The main body of the PFD finally cleared the scene at 8:40 a.m. although a skeleton crew remained behind to mop up hot spots, Craig said.

NPS is investigating the apparent arson of the abandoned house, Craig added.

 

Posted 4/19/2016

 
 
 
 

 

 

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