March 21, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
An early morning fire today (Sunday) destroyed two dwellings at a Smithville Housing Authority duplex on Jackson Street resulting in one woman suffering burns. Two dogs perished in the blaze at one of the homes but firefighters were able to rescue a cat at the other residence.
The woman was taken by DeKalb EMS to Ascension St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital where she was airlifted by helicopter to Vanderbilt Hospital. Her name has not yet been released.
Three people in the adjoining residence of the duplex including a man, woman, and child escaped unharmed.
The cause of the fire is undetermined. The blaze apparently started in one of the dwellings and spread to the other.
Fire on Jackson Street in Smithville Sunday morning from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Central dispatch (911) received the call and paged out firefighters at 4:41 am. Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department, Smithville Police, and DeKalb EMS responded.
“We received a call of a fire at a duplex at 319 and 321 Jackson Street and upon our arrival we could see flames coming through the roof,” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
“Its my understanding that neighbors and bystanders got the woman (who suffered burns) out of her residence at 319 Jackson Street. She was already in an ambulance on the scene when we arrived. Everybody on the other side of the duplex at 321 Jackson Street was also outside upon our arrival and I think they helped get the other lady out of her home” he said.