Firefighters responded to two yard fires in the past week that started when electrical fixtures or cords ignited landscaping materials. Also, an update on an incident at the Davidson IB Middle School a a week ago: The Mecklenburg Fire Marshal’s Office is now investigating two small fires outside of the school gym in which articles of clothing were burned. Read on for those fire reports, plus medical calls from the past week.

In the first of the two yard fires, firefighters were called to 411 Walnut St. early Sunday, April 11, where they found an electrical cord had short-circuited, lighting pine straw and burning a wide area of the back yard and a fence. An investigation found that the resident was using an indoor extension cord outside, which led to the short circuit. The fire burned 12 feet of a cedar slat vertical fence and a 10-foot by 25-foot area.

In the other incident, around 8 a.m. Sunday on River Falls Drive in the River Run neighborhood, a hot outdoor ground-light covered with mulch ignited. Firefighters turned off the electrical breaker to the light.

FIRE & EMERGENCY CALLS,

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 12:38 p.m., 305 Jetton St. – Alarm system sounded due to malfunction at a single-family residence.

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 8:16 a.m., Davidson IB Middle School, South Street – Fire and police responded to a call about burned clothing found in a stairwell outside the school gym. No active fire. Police said it may have been kids. The Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating. (EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an update of an item reported last week.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1:13 a.m., 335 Sloan St. – Carbon-monoxide detector activation due to malfunction. Davidson Engine 1 responded to a 1-story residential structure. Both occupants had evacuated the building, but showed no symptoms of CO poisoning. Alarm was sounding, but an investigation found oxygen and carbon monoxide levels in normal range. Firefighters advised the homeowner to replace the alarm.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 12:51 a.m., 411 E Walnut St. – A resident reported a grass fire. Firefighters found that an indoor extension cord that was being used outside had short-circuited, igniting pine needles and grass. The fire burned 12 feet of a cedar slat vertical fence and a 10-foot by 25-foot area. Controlled by 12:58.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 7:59 a.m., 19822 River Falls Drive, River Run – Natural vegetation fire. A hot ground light covered with mulch ignited. Firefighters turned off the electrical breaker to the lights.

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 12:03 a.m., I-77 Southbound – Firefighters responded to a reported grass fire, but were canceled en route.

MEDICAL CALLS, APRIL 8-15

Following are the medical calls Davidson Fire Department responded to last week. The department says patient privacy laws prohibit public release of addresses or other details.

• Sick person 1
• Abdominal pain 1
• Unconscious/fainting 1
• Allergies 2
• Convulsions/seizure 2
• Hemorrhage/laceration 1