Cortland Fire and Rescue burn down house

Posted By: Rachael Miner

rminer@klkntv.com

It’s an unfamiliar scene for many residents in Cortland. A house completely engulfed in flames, but the fire was started on purpose.

"Basically we strategically planned how we’re going to burn down this house, that’s why we call it a controlled burn so nothing else happens," said Lincoln Fire and Rescue Captain Eddie Mueller.

The house near 6th Street and Highway 77 in Cortland had been vacant for over five years and the homeowner asked to have it burned down.

Captain Mueller helps train Cortland Fire Crews and saw it as a good training opportunity.

"It’s always good to practice, you can’t practice enough. Everybody’s busy but we don’t practice enough but any time you can get out and run through the motions its always good, safety is the big thing," said Cortland Fire Chief Jerry Vrbka.

Five other area departments also came out for the training opportunity.

With help from LFR Cortland crews placed ventilation holes in the home’s roof before lighting it on fire.

Ventilation helps flames and smoke go up instead of out the sides, where it could damage neighboring homes.

In just over three hours crews burned the house down, but the experience crews gained will stay with them.

"They’re going to be able to take this experience back to their department and understand what the fire dynamics do inside a structure when we burn and if they were to respond on a real incident," said Captain Mueller.