Friday, July 22, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Lightning causes house fireBy LEE WILLIAMS Randy and Marilyn Knapton of Peachtree City returned from their trip to Orlando, Fla., hoping for a happy homecoming, but instead the couple found their home had been ravaged by fire. A severe thunderstorm peppered with fierce lightning rolled through Peachtree City about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. One of the lightning bolts that cracked the sky struck the roof of the Knaptons home setting it aflame. The fire spread quickly at the Knaptons home located at 802 Carnellian Lane in the Kedron Hills III subdivision. The fire didnt completely destroy the 3,500-square-foot home, but every floor of the two-story structure, as well as the basement, had been seared by the flames. A contractor who surveyed the damage Wednesday evening speculated the $400,000 home sustained over $200,000 in damage. Joyce Yang and her 6-year-old daughter, Amber, who lived next door to the Knaptons, were at home eating dinner when the lightning bolt rocked her subdivision. I could feel my house shaking, Yang said. Yang thought her home had been struck. She checked and didnt find anything, so she and her daughter returned to their meal. As she tidied up the dishes, Yang looked out her kitchen window and saw smoke coming from her backyard. She searched to find the origin and discovered the Knaptons house was on fire. Yang looked out her front door and saw one fire engine parked in front of the house and flames pouring from the second floor. Fearing it would spread to her home, Yang grabbed her daughter and fled. Holding an umbrella, Yang watched Peachtree City firefighters attack the fire in the pouring rain, while her daughter clung to her side. The flames were so hot she could feel the heat on her face while standing across the street at a neighbors house, Yang said. A Peachtree City police officer, Lt. Jason Epps, observed and reported the fire while he was in the area on another call. Epps made forcible entry into the home in an effort to evacuate it. The home was empty, but the family cat, Tabby, and dog, Foxy, were still inside. Epps rescued the dog. Two firefighters began fighting the fire on the inside of the home, but were unable to douse the fire. Other firefighters arrived to help. Fire officials made the decision to begin fighting the fire on the outside, which might have made the difference between life and death for the crew. Shortly after that, the entire roof collapsed into the interior of the structure, Peachtree City Fire Chief Stony Lohr said. Tower 8 and two engines were then able to get heavy master streams on the fire to extinguish residual fires. Fire crews remained on the scene to put out hotspots. One firefighter received minor burns while battling the blaze when melting metal dripped on his back. No other injuries were reported. The family cat turned up and the crews rescued it from the home. The crew administered oxygen to the cat that likely suffered from smoke inhalation. Neighbors took the pets in. The homeowners learned about the fire when they returned. On Wednesday, the Knaptons emerged from a neighbors house and walked toward their gold Lexus. Randy Knapton, who is the general sales manager for Volvo of South Atlanta and Lexus of South Atlanta in Union City, and his wife were visibly shaken from the fire. Were OK, Marilyn Knapton said. Were surviving. The smell of burning wood wafted through the air as neighbors on golf carts and automobiles drove by the home to witness the devastation. Mrs. Knapton said the fire damaged a large portion of their belongings. What wasnt damaged was secured in a mobile storage unit parked in the driveway. Although she lost a lot, Marilyn Knapton rejected offers for help. She said she wouldnt know where to tell people to send it. We have everything that we need, she said. We have clothes from our trip, so we are not without clothes to wear. Through all of this, we were very fortunate. She said the community has been generous to her family in their time of need. A neighbor at 806 Carnellian Lane opened up their doors to them. Local veterinarians offered to foot the bills for their pets medical care after the fire. Others offered to do whatever they could to ease their suffering.
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Copyright 2004-Fayette Publishing, Inc. |