BROOKHAVEN — Heavy white smoke billowed out from the side of Walgreens Monday morning on Brookway Boulevard. Brookhaven Fire Department was dispatched to the scene around 11:10 a.m. 

On scene, firefighters worked to extinguish a dumpster fire and used foam to put out the blaze. No damage could be seen on the side of the building and units cleared the scene before noon. One engine responded to the dumpster fire. 

Home a total loss

Brookhaven Fire Chief Jeff Ainsworth confirmed there was a structure fire in Brookhaven early Sunday morning around 2 a.m.. A home in the 300 block of West Congress Street was considered to be a total loss. 

Ainsworth said the Brookhaven Police Department called in the fire. Police officers smelled smoke and searched for the origin. Firefighters arrived on scene to find the blaze burning through the roof of the home. 

No one was injured in the fire. Ainsworth said the homeowner was not at home at the time of the fire. Units cleared the scene around 5 a.m. Sunday. The structure had sustained damage from a fire in the past. 

Preparing for winter weather

Snow is on the way and freezing temperatures have settled in for Lincoln County. Brookhaven Fire Department reported it is ready for the winter weather with trucks and chainsaws gassed up waiting for calls. 

Engines are kept in heated bays so there is no danger of the water freezing. Ainsworth said once a truck is on scene the heat generated by the engine and water flow allows the water to remain unfrozen. 

“We are just trying to get ready. If anything, if the snow gets bad it slows down our response time. We will still go to a call but we might be a little slower getting there,” Ainsworth said. “The cold is the cold and we still do what we do. The roads could get in bad shape and it could slow us down. There isn’t a whole lot we can do about that.”