Investigation After Fire Destroys Home Of 75-Year-Old Woman
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Nearly a dozen fire units were called out to battle a fire at a house in the 2400 block of Timberline, near Interstate-35W and Interstate-20 in Fort Worth.
According to Fort Worth Fire Department Lieutenant Kyle Falkner, when the first firefighters arrived they reported back that there was heavy fire at the house and requested additional help.
Falkner said, "We do have one adult displaced and we have requested the Red Cross respond to assist." That one person is a 75-year-old woman who was at the house alone at the time.
The woman reportedly told investigators that she plugged in a heating blanket and left the room. She said it was a short time after that she heard a loud pop and went to investigate. When she went back into the room she saw a window on fire and tried to put it out. When her effort failed she called the fire department and got out of the house.
Lieutenant Falkner said it's important to remember to save yourself first. "I always encourage everybody, if you have a fire in the house get out," he said. "If you're elderly you have to be that more vigilant and get out that much quicker. You're not going to be able to move as fast, so you have to be that much more careful."
It was Kevin Woods mother who safely escaped the fire. But he says this isn't the only struggle for the family in the last year. "She just lost her husband this same month. For it [the fire] to go down like that.. it's very bad. It hurts real bad," he said. "This is the same month that my dad died; same ambulance and everything and the fire department here helping out."
Lieutenant Falkner said while it is important to stay warm as the weather gets colder, people need to use extra caution around heaters and fireplaces. "Whenever we have these changes in the weather, when people start firing up heaters and electric blankets and space heaters, we're always seeing an uptick in the number of fires."
There is no word yet on the exact cause of the fire on Timberline, but the home is believed to be a total loss.
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