Quick Thinking by Maintenance Worker Quells Fire at St. Paul’s

Quick thinking by Frank Dofelmeyer, a maintenance worker at St. Paul's Lutheran School, contained a fire that started when a light fixture caught fire on the first floor of the building Wednesday night.

Chelan County Fire District 1 Information Officer Kay McKellar says Dofelmeyer was wrapping up his day on the 2nd floor when the alarm went off.

"He grabbed a chemical fire extinguisher, went down to the 1st floor where he found the ceiling on fire and some fire had dropped to the floor. He discharged the chemical fire extinguisher and put out the ceiling fire and the fire on the floor."

He also evacuated the building.

McKellar says they were very fortunate Dofelmeyer was working last night.

"The Chief was very adamant about the fact that quick actions by Mr. Dofelmeyer slowed the fire down and helped to minimize damage to the building."

McKellar says the building also had a working smoke alarm which was able to warn Dofelmeyer of what was going on.

Crews from Chelan County Fire 1 and Douglas County Fire 2 cleared the building after they arrived.