Battalion Chief Greg Kirkendall is hanging up his gear after 35 years of service. Dozens of current and retired co-workers came out to wish him well. Kirkendall started as a firefighter and moved up the ranks over the years, becoming battalion chief in 2009. He credits his success, in part, to his fellow firefighters and his family. 

A house on Woodlawn Avenue was set on fire this morning after a young child began playing with a lighter.

The fire occurred around 10:20 a.m. on the 100 block of North Woodlawn Avenue, according to the Lima Fire Department. The fire started after the child accidentally caught contents in the upstairs bedroom on fire, which then spread through the rest of the second floor.