slideshow

Nola Sizemore

Staff Writer

Firefighters and emergency medical personnel teamed up to save a dog in an early morning house fire on Wednesday at Grays Knob.

The home’s occupant, Claude Gross, escaped without injury.

“At approximately 3 a.m. Wednesday, the Sunshine Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a fire on Grays Street in Grays Knob,” said SVFD Lt. Ashley Hatfield. “The call came in that it was a house fire and upon arrival they found smoke showing from the home. They found fire coming from the front corner of one room. Fire Chief Steven Hatfield also received a re-page of a possible entrapment of a person inside the home.”

Lt. Hatfield said the only one home at the time of the fire was Gross. She said he was not injured.

“There was a family pet, a pit bull dog, found inside the residence. Chief Hatfield found the dog inside behind a couch and not breathing at the time. He managed to get her alert a little bit and Harlan EMS administered oxygen to the pet. She was doing fine when we left the scene.”

Hatfield said the cause of the fire was not immediately determined. However, she encouraged everyone to use extreme caution in heating homes, especially when temperatures plunge to the teens and below.

“Especially during this cold weather we have been having lately, I encourage residents to take special precautions in the use of space heaters,” said Hatfield. “The heaters need to be placed in an area with a lot of space around them so that items around them can’t ignite a fire.”

Other space heater safety tips include:

*Use space heaters only as a supplementary source of heat. These devices are not intended to replace the home’s heating system.

*Do not use extension cords with space heaters unless absolutely necessary.

*Inspect heaters cords periodically to look for frayed wire or damaged insulation. It is imperative that space heaters with a damaged cord not be used.

*Check periodically for a secure plug/outlet fit. If the plug becomes very hot, the outlet may need to be replaced by a qualified technician. This could be the sign of a potential home wiring issue.

*Heaters should be placed on a flat, level surface. Do not place heaters on furniture since they may fall and become damaged or break parts in the heater.

Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510 or at nsizemore@civitasmedia.com