A man and woman escaped a house fire on Ewingville Drive on the morning of April 29, 2023, after being woken by smoke alarms and jumping out their second-story bedroom window.
According to Franklin Fire Investigator Brian Daugherty, the couple, who were sleeping with their bedroom door closed, were alerted to the fire by smoke alarms.
Daugherty said they opened the door, discovered heavy smoke and heat, closed the door, then bailed out a window, approximately 14-feet above the ground.
Daugherty said they sustained minor injuries during the escape, but refused treatment, and are fortunate to be alive. He said working smoke alarms, sleeping with their bedroom door closed, and having easy and quick access to their secondary exit saved their lives.
The Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to the home at 12:54 AM after a neighbor called 911. They arrived to find the back of the house fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters remained on scene for more than five hours, completing extinguishment.
Daugherty said the fire originated on the covered back porch and appears to have been caused by spontaneous combustion of oily rags, which can combust without a heat source. He said the home is a total loss, estimating damage $600,000.
After using organic products such as linseed oil, to prevent fire, store solvent-wet rags in a tightly sealed metal container, or hang them outside to dry in a cool, shady location away from structures, and then discard them. Make sure they are not in a pile.
Daugherty commented that this is the second house fire in Franklin this month where occupants had to use a window for escape. He said, “It’s important to make sure that all windows are operable so that they may be used for escape if needed.”
Please join our FREE Newsletter
