Two injured in ‘suspicious’ Ashland house fire, explosion

Two people were injured Tuesday when a fire broke out at a residence in Ashland.
The Ashland police and fire departments were dispatched to a house on fire on the 300 block of 11th Avenue West around 10:30 a.m., police reported in a news release. When first responders arrived, they found two people in front of the house and the second floor engulfed in flames. A 41-year-old man and the 29-year-old woman had what authorities described as “possible first- and second-degree burns on their hands and face,” and were transported to the Memorial Medical Center in Ashland.
An official with the fire department said the fire was caused by an explosion in the house, possibly tied to drug-related activity, prompting the two people to jump out of a window. Police said the fire appeared “suspicious in nature” and the Division of Criminal Investigations Fire Marshal was requested to respond to the scene. The incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the fire should call the Ashland Police Department at (715) 682-7023.
Authorities estimate damages at $100,000.