Bath Township Fire Department Responds to House Fire 

The Bath Township Fire Department responded to 2525 Harding Highway after receiving a 911 call for a fire at 1:55 P.M. on January 31, 2024. City of Lima firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the structure and also found the first floor partially collapsed. 

The residence is owned by C&C Property Management of Lima and is believed to have been unoccupied. 

Fire officials estimate the damage to be approximately $25,000 to the home which was built in 1920. The three story, 3200 square foot home had a large amount of personal items and other contents throughout the structure. 

The fire was ruled suspicious and has been turned over to the State of Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office Investigative unit. 

Additional apparatus and personnel responded to the scene from American Township Fire Department, Perry Township Fire Department, and the City of Lima Fire Department. 

There were no injuries to the residents or to firefighters who remain on scene as of 8:50 P.M. (Time of this media release.) 

Joseph L. Kitchen, Bath Twp. Fire Chief: 419-221-0550 

Bath Township Fire Department Seeks Support from Voters for Additional Funding 

The Bath Township Board of Trustees have unanimously voted (Resolution # 12-5-23-6) 

to ask Bath Township residents to take a second look at the 2.5 mill levy increase which narrowly failed last November. The fire department came up short by only 43 votes and are hopeful that voters will reconsider this vital funding request. 

The additional funding is needed to fill vacant positions which have been cut and allow the department to be staffed at a minimum of four Fire/EMS personnel twenty-four hours a day. 

The department reminds voters that no new funding has been approved by township residents for twenty years. Also, the amount of funding has declined due to changes by the state legislature specific to business and industry. The fire department also cites the rising costs of wages, employee benefits, equipment, apparatus, and general operating expenses over the past two decades as reasons why the additional funding is a necessity. 

The fire department has made deep cuts due to the November levy failure which Chief Joseph Kitchen says is unsustainable. “The fire department cannot provide the level of service which our residents have become accustomed to without additional funding. We are in desperate need of the community’s support at the ballot box on Tuesday, March 19, 2024,” said Chief Kitchen. 

The Allen County Auditor estimates that the levy will collect $746,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 2.5 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $88 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for 5 years, commencing in 2024, first due in calendar year 2025. 

Joseph L. Kitchen, Bath Twp. Fire Chief: 419-221-0550 

Brad Baxter, Chmn. Bath Twp. Board of Trustees: 419-221-1797 

 Fire Damages Multiple Outbuildings 

The Bath Township Fire Department responded to 2570 Stewart Road after receiving a 911 call for a shed on fire at 3:49 A.M. on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Firefighters arrived to find two outbuildings (sheds) and a chicken coop heavily involved in fire. 

The residence is owned by Vicky Allen, of Lima and occupied by Charles and Lory Lee, who were home at the time of the fire. According to the occupants, the property is insured. 

Fire officials estimate the damage to be approximately $15,000 to the structures. An estimate of damage to the contents is not available at this time due to the large number of personal items and recreational vehicles stored in the buildings. 

The fire is not suspicious, and investigators believe it was started due to an electrical malfunction. 

There were no injuries to the residents or to firefighters. Firefighters remained on the scene for over three hours. 

Contact person: Joseph Kitchen, Fire Chief: 419-221-0550 

Bath Township Fire Department Responds to Commercial Building Fire

Bath Township Fire Department responded to multiple 9-1-1 reports of an explosion and fire in the area of Springbrook Golf Club, 4200 Ottawa Road, Lima, Ohio, in Bath Township at 9:41 P.M.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed the maintenance building and two adjacent structures all heavily involved in fire.

Chief Joseph Kitchen estimates the damage to the structures at $75,000 and $225,000 to the contents which included mowers, tractors, golf carts, and other tools and specialty equipment used for golf course maintenance.

The property is owned by Alternate Paths LLC of Harrod, Ohio and is reported to be fully insured.

All of the structures and their associated contents are a total loss. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from nearby exposures which included gasoline, diesel, and propane tanks.

No fire department personnel were injured.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown and is under investigation, however it does not appear suspicious at this time.

Firefighters were on the scene for about four hours.