06-23-2013 Fire Displaces Family of Six

Battalion Chief Jeff Eldridge said the family of two adults and four children were safely out of the house when the first firefighters arrived on the scene. Family members later told firefighters that a smoke alarm alerted them to the fire, allowing them all time to escape unharmed.

The bulk of the fire was found in a laundry room and was quickly spreading to other rooms and the roof. The firefighters attacked the fire quickly and saved most of the house. The dollar loss was estimated at around $25,000.

Chief Eldridge said the cause of the fire was ruled accidental. The fire appears to have started in or around the clothes dryer. Volunteers with the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee were called in to provide assistance to the family.