IVFD answers early morning calls over holiday weekend

    Firefighters had two early morning calls over the Labor Day weekend, interrupting sleep at the same 4:30 a.m. hour Sunday and Monday.
    A Chevy pickup was totalled  in the Sunday morning fire in front of the Carl Stafford farm home in the furthest southwest part of the Imperial fire district.
    Fire Chief Doug Mitchell said they are unsure on the cause, but suspect electrical issues due to the hour. It had been parked and was idle in front of the house, Mitchell said.
    The Lamar Volunteer Fire Department also responded with three trucks, added to five from Imperial.
    On Sunday, also at 4:30 a.m., the dispatcher’s office received an automatic alarm at Chase County Schools, and alerted the IVFD.
    Mitchell said the alarm was from the kitchen area and was due to something from the HVAC system. Nothing was found after using thermal cameras throughout, he said.
    “We reset the alarm and were back at the fire hall by 5:30 a.m.,” he said.
    Head of maintenance Dallas Baney came to the scene and also reported finding no reason for the alarm, Mitchell said.