By Kimberly Gasuras
When several inches of rain fell Saturday night, it caused flooding issues on city streets and country roads. For Nik Fogle and his family, the rain caused a different problem.
“I was in bed when it happened about 3:50 a.m. I was sleeping downstairs when a crashing noise from the bathroom woke me up,” said Fogle who lives at 600 E. Charles St., in Bucyrus.
Fogle said there were flames and sparks coming from his bathroom ceiling.
“I called the fire department and they were here in about five minutes,” Fogle said. “They were here for over an hour.”
Fogle said he alerted the landlord of the house he rents that there was a leak in the ceiling.
“We have had a leak in the bathroom for months,” Fogle said. “All of the rain got into the electrical wiring and started the fire.”
According to the Bucyrus Fire Department, a leak in the ceiling caused the ceiling to fall but the cause of the sparks is undetermined.
“They were told to keep the electric off until an electrician had a look at it since it knocked out four breakers,” firefighter Ryan Sparks said.
Fogle said he and his family had no electric service for about 15 hours in the kitchen and bathroom of the home.
“The damage was contained to just the bathroom. The fire department said we needed a certified electrician to give the okay for the power to be turned back on,” Fogle said.
Fogle said he and his family are on the lookout for a house to rent.