The walls had collapsed from the upper floor into the basement in this residence on fire early Friday morning in the 13000 block of Birch Road in St. Clair Township. Icy and snow covered roads proved treacherous for Calcutta, Glenmoor and Liverpool Township firefighters who spent hours out in the frigid weather, dumping 8,000 gallons of water on the structure. There were no injuries. (Submitted photo)

EAST LIVERPOOL — Area firefighters responded to their first structure fire of 2026 early Friday morning

Shortly before 3:43 a.m., a neighbor noticed an occupied but vacant home in the 13000 block of Birch Road fully engulfed and called fire dispatch.

Calcutta Fire Chief Dave McCoy said upon initial arrival, crews found all the walls had collapsed into the basement due to the blaze, which he speculated may have been burning several hours before detection.

Frigid and icy weather conditions made the call particularly treacherous as well as their initial inability to know if someone may be trapped inside, McCoy added.

Due to road conditions, only one engine could make it down the snow-covered and icy driveway, with the remaining vehicles staying on the road.

St. Clair Township road department also came and dumped cinders on the road to help with traction, while St. Clair Township police eventually located the elderly tenant who had been recuperating from a recent surgery at his daughter’s house and was not home.

Liverpool Township crews also responded with tankers and manpower as per their mutual aid agreement.

McCoy estimated crews sprayed 8,000 gallons of water on the blaze.

The structure and contents were a total loss.

The tenant had been using a temporary heater to thaw frozen pipes in the basement, and McCoy speculated that as a preliminary cause for the fire.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com.