WINONA, Minn. – An attic fire caused substantial damage to a one-story frame house in the 900 block of East Fifth Street. No one was injured, but firefighters were concerned for two people who had come out of the house and then inexplicably ran back in. Smoke coming from the roof and eaves, and it was obvious firefighters that the structure was unsafe for anyone without proper protection gear. Then the two people emerged again, this time into the backyard. Meanwhile, off-duty firefighters were called in. Flames were visible in the attic through a hole in the kitchen ceiling. The first firefighters on the scene used pike poles to pull down the whole ceiling and attack the spreading fire. The second crew punched an exterior hole into the attic. Once the main fire extinguished, crews put out several spot fires. The call came in about 2:55 p.m.
