“She yelled, ‘Deb’s house is on fire,’ ” Fortner said.
Gruenemeier stopped the car and called 911 while Jacob and his two friends began banging on the home’s front and back doors in hopes of alerting the owner, Deborah Amiot. Fortner said he also threw rocks to break several windows in the home.
The Hamilton Fire Department was dispatched at 6:36 a.m. to 4421 Pleasant Ave. When crews arrived, they discovered smoke coming from the back of the home and determined the fire was in the basement.
Amiot, who said she had fallen asleep in a chair around 5 a.m., awoke to the pounding on the doors and was able to escape the house without injury.
“I got my purse and got out the front door,” she said.
Fire officials were able to retrieve Amiot’s medications, as well as a small hamper of clothing, according to Fortner.
He said it was lucky they were driving past the home at that particular moment, as Amiot’s house is already hard to see from the road due to large trees in the front yard.
“Mom knew her from 10 or 15 years ago, so that’s probably why she was looking over there,” he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Fire Department Captain Brian Ruhl.
Deputy Fire Chief Captain Joe Stamper estimated about $75,000 in damages.
The Fairfield Twp. fire department also assisted at the scene.
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