February 27, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Fire Damages Radio Personalities Home

Former KEEL and KWKH radio news director Jeff Steirman’s home at 928 Poleman Road was damaged by fire this morning shortly after 12 noon. Steirman stated that he had lit an open flame gas space heater in his bathroom this morning around 10:45 a.m. in preparation for a bath. Stierman then said that he fell asleep and when he awoke noticed his home full of smoke. Tracing the origin of the fire to a closet that backs up to the bathroom, Steirman opened the closet’s door and flames and smoke billowed out. Steirman called 911 after a vein attempt to extinguish the blaze himself.

When firefighters arrived on the scene of the fire, smoke was pouring out of the eves and windows. Initial entry crews were able to isolate the fire to the closet and surrounding door structure. The incident commander listed the fire under control at 12:19 p.m. Steirman was visibly shaken because of the experience was unharmed.

Fire department investigators have officially listed the cause of the fire as the bathroom’s space heater. Fire damage was confined to the closet area, however, smoke damage was apparent throughout the structure.

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