A Franklin family narrowly escaped disaster after smoke alarms roused them from slumber, alerting them to a house fire that would go on to cause an estimated $5 million in damage. The blaze, which devastated a 9,000-square-foot home in the Avalon subdivision, began in the early hours of Wednesday morning. According to FOX 17, the Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to the residence on Lady of the Lake Lane around 2:45 a.m.
Smoke alarms alerted a sleeping family of four to a house fire this morning, allowing them to escape the blaze that destroyed a 9,000-square-foot home in the Avalon subdivision.
— Franklin Fire Department, Franklin, TN (@FranklinFire) March 13, 2024
FFD was dispatched to the single-family residence on Lady of the Lake Lane at 2:44 AM. Upon… pic.twitter.com/wZUydJed3h
Upon their arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames emanating from the building's posterior, rapidly escalating to the roof, reported NewsChannel 5. After a grueling hours-long effort, which included a shift changeover at 6 a.m., officials reported no injuries sustained during the incident. The exact origins of the fire remain a mystery, though Franklin Fire Marshal Andy King noted it seemed to have started on the home's exterior backside.
"We were just so glad to see that everyone had made it out," Jamie Melton of the Franklin Fire Department recounted in an interview with NewsChannel 5. Melton stressed the critical importance of smoke alarms, which they claimed cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. "The danger is when you're asleep. When you're awake, you can smell and see fire. When you're asleep, that smoke is poisonous, it just puts us into a deeper sleep, and some people simply never wake up."
In light of the recent catastrophe, authorities are urging residents to maintain due vigilance regarding fire safety. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years and have their batteries changed annually. "It's smart to have a fire plan in place — like who rescues who and where to meet outside — just in case this happens to you," Melton added, mentioned by NewsChannel 5. The Franklin Fire Department echoed this sentiment on their Twitter, reminding the public that working smoke alarms can save lives.
