Early morning fire damages home on Cherry Street

A fire early this morning damaged a rental home on Cherry Street in Columbus.

According to reports from the Columbus Fire Department, a woman was in the living room of the home in the 600 block of Cherry Street with her two children at about 12:17 a.m. this morning when she smelled smoke. She found a small fire near a power strip in the kitchen and attempted to extinguish it, but it continued to grow. She escaped the home with the children and called 911.

Columbus police arrived and extinguished the fire. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke throughout the home and an investigation revealed that the power strip had been plugged into an extension cord, and was powering several kitchen appliances. Investigators believe the overloaded power strip shorted out, causing the fire.

Damages were estimated at about $3,000 including the kitchen wall, window and a freezer.

The American Red Cross is assisting the family with emergency shelter.