Apartment Fire Put Out
Story from Youngstown Vindicator on 05/07/2008.

YOUNGSTOWN — A maintenance man at an apartment complex at 2639 Tyrell Ave. used a dry chemical extinguisher Monday afternoon to put out a kitchen fire before firefighters arrived, reports show. The fire extended from the stove to kitchen cabinets.

The tenant said she had a pan on the stove and was distracted by her newborn baby. When she returned, fire was coming from the pan. No injuries were reported. Damage was set at $3,000.

Fire Victims Benefit
Story from Dennis Biviano on the WKBN TV27 Web Site on 05/05/2008.

Last month one Youngstown couple lost everything in a fire. Today friends of the family are hoping a fundraiser will help the two get a fresh start and a new home. The Graffius family is looking to slowly rebuild the pieces and move forward.

This is what remains from the Graffius family home on Williamson Ave. One month ago...twenty-nine years of memories went up in flames. The couple was victim to what police classify as a "firebomb." They had no insurance and lost everything...

"WE WASN'T HOME AT THE TIME WE WAS HELPING OUR DAUGHTER WITH OUR GRAND KIDS AT HER HOUSE AND OUR DAUGHTER COME OVER AND TOLD US ABOUT OUR HOUSE BEING ON FIRE. BUT WE THOUGHT SHE WAS KIDDING AT THE TIME UNTIL WE WENT OVER THERE...AND IT WAS FLAMING REAL BIG."---DARREL & DENISE GRAFFIUS

Fast forward... four weeks later... A dinner, auction benefit organized by Denise's sister Susanne. She hopes the money raised will help the two get back on their feet. And they'll need it. City officials told the Graffius family that they are responsible for the nearly 4 thousand dollars it will cost to tear down the home.

"I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM TO GET THEM ANOTHER HOUSE AND GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND WE'RE ALL KINDA DONATIONS COMING IN. WE'RE HAVING FURNITURE COMING IN. WE HAVE APPLIANCES COMING IN, SO I REALLY HOPE THEY FIND SOMETHING TO GET STARTED AGAIN."--Susanne Goodspeed

The Graffius's are currently living with their daughter. They tell me it's renewed faith in God that has helped them through the tough times.

"GO DAY BY DAY, UNTIL WE CAN GET ON OUR FEET MORE AND HOPE TO GOD WE CAN GET AN APARTMENT OR HOUSE."--DARREL & DENISE GRAFFIUS

Until then the Graffius's say they're grateful for the community's help.

Tonight's benefit will run until 9 o'clock at the Down the Hatch lounge on Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown.Donations will be accepted for the family there at any time.

Two Fires Set In Youngstown
Story from Youngstown Vindicator on 05/02/2008.

YOUNGSTOWN — Fire intentionally set in a garage at 312 E. Scott St. on the North Side around 11 p.m. Thursday spread to the vacant house, reports show. Damage was set at $10,000.

At 12:06 a.m. today, fire was deliberately set on the first floor of a vacant house at 249 E. Florida Ave. on the South Side. Flames spread through the floor and into a bedroom. A fire captain detected the odor of an accelerant. Damage was set at $1,000.

Three Vacant Homes Burn In Youngstown
Story from Youngstown Vindicator on 05/01/2008.

YOUNGSTOWN — Two vacant houses went up in flames early today and one late Wednesday night.

Firefighters sent to 712 Steel St. on the West Side around 3:45 a.m. found the front porch fully engulfed in flames and the fire spread inside the house. No accelerant was found but the deliberately set fire extended to the sidewalk and bushes, reports show. Damage was set at $8,000.

At 6 a.m., firefighters sent to 3024 Firnley Ave. on the South Side found heavy smoke coming from the first floor and fire spreading through the house. Damage was set at $10,000 and the cause is under investigation.

At 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, the house at 722 Broadway Ave. on the North Side was deliberately set on fire. Firefighters switched to a defensive mode when the roof weakened and the hydrant cracked, which slowed water flow, reports show. Damage was set at $12,000.

Firefighters Extend EBay ‘fire Sale’
Story from Youngstown Vindicator on 04/22/2008.

The sale ends April 29.

YOUNGSTOWN — The two city firefighters willing to be walking billboards to raise money to save their jobs have lowered the starting bid on eBay to $200,000.

You could call it a fire sale.

Firefighters Kevin Windham and Ben Szmara are selling ad space on their “turnout gear,” the protective flame-retardant jackets they wear on the job.

The starting bid on eBay, the online auction Web site, had been $750,000, an amount intended to save 36 firefighters’ jobs that are in jeopardy because of the city’s financial woes. The sale ended last Friday with no bidders, so Windham and Szmara lowered the minimum bid they’ll accept and extended the sale until April 29.

The firefighters’ innovative sales pitch was featured last week in The Vindicator and then garnered TV coverage. Once Windham and Szmara’s efforts made the news, the hits on their eBay site went from about 500 to more than 1,300.

“We got tons of responses from all over — fire departments in Washington, D.C., Texas and Arizona,” Windham said Monday. “They said it’s a good way to bring the problem to the public’s attention.”

Windham said he and Szmara decided to lower the starting bid to a “more realistic amount” in a last-ditch effort to raise money for the cause. “It would have blew my mind if we actually got the $750,000 bid.”

Windham said they also wanted to use the Web site this week as a way to place a “thank you” note for the news organizations that publicized their predicament.

“This opportunity is available because firefighters in Youngstown own/purchase their gear,” the eBay ad reads. “The advertisement will run for the lifetime of the gear.” Firefighters get a $900 clothing allowance each year. The jackets and pants cost $1,600 and last three to 10 years.

The eBay sales pitch goes on to say that the firefighters are assigned to Ladder 24, a truck that covers half the city.

“This truck responds to nearly 200 structure fires each year and numerous public events,” the firefighters-turned-salesmen wrote. “Your ad will be in the public view [newspapers, 3 local news networks and Web pages].”

A disclaimer notes that the online fundraiser is not connected to the city, Youngstown Fire Department or its union, Local 312.

Here’s the site:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem item=120249644239 _trksid=p3907.m32 _trkparms=tab=Selling.