Gawkers Gunk Up The Fireground

THE LOCKE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ~~SALISBURY~~ ROWAN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, had an unexpected 2nd alarm response to a house fire Sunday night.

A lightning strike that burrowed into the laundry room of the Addison family home blew up the garage and started a heavy fire in the house. The family was home, but they had to run for their lives as the flames raced through the house.

Eugene Addison stands in front of his
2-story home that was destroyed Sunday night.
(Salisbury Post / Hinshaw photo)

The Salisbury Post quotes Mrs. Addison: “We hit the floor,” Dee said of the actions that she and her daughters, Regina, 17, and Beatrice, 18, took. “It was like a bomb had gone off.”

She said that had they been 10 seconds slower, it’s likely they wouldn’t have made it out with their lives. As it was, no one suffered anything worse than some minor scrapes. “By the grace of God we got out,” Dee said.

The FD was on the scene at a non-hydrant area within four minutes. The house was well involved at the time and they special called several tankers to provide the water source. But then the “2nd alarm” fleet of curious onlookers arrived, following the column of smoke coming from the house.

The dead-end street became so congested with abandoned automobiles left by the gawkers that the next arriving engines and the tankers were never able to make it to the scene. It took more than 30 minutes for the FF’s to hand-drag supply lines out to the water sources, but by then the house was gone.

Since it is not illegal for people to be tacky and stupid, the police were unable to issue any citations to the dolts who plugged up this poor family’s access to help.

You can read the full story in the Salisbury Post HERE.
Firegeezer thanks FireNews.net for the link and you can also read their report on the house fire itself HERE.

Locke Fire Dept. WEBSITE.

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