Mother Loses Home in Fire
MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. – A devastating house fire took everything from a local mother and her 10-year-old daughter, Tuesday. “Yes everything we have is on us now,” Betty Clark said. “Everything else is burned up in the house.” Clark said that included her daughter’s school uniforms. “We don’t have nothing but I guess we are still blessed to be here,” Clark added. Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner believes the fire could have started from an electrical problem near the back porch where the washer and dryer sat. Clark said she suspected something was wrong earlier in the day and unplugged her dryer to be safe. She then left to pick up her daughter from school after getting a call that she was sick. She believes that phone call could have saved her life. “I was asleep when the phone rang,” Clark said. “I could have been in that house when it caught fire but the Lord woke me up.” Fire officials on the scene said an electrical fire can start inside a wall and smolder for hours before flames are visible. Chief Turner urged, “If you think you see smoke or smell smoke, it’s always better to be cautious and call the fire department and let them come check it out.” Officials said the local Red Cross is helping the family. Clark said she is in desperate need of school uniforms for her daughter who attends Denmark Elementary. She said the dress code includes black, royal blue, and white polo t-shirts with beige or black skirts. She wears sizes 8-10 (small) shirts and 8-12 skirts/ pants.
