Mondee Tilley

Staff Reporter

Fire claimed the home of Rawley Amburn and his family late Thursday night after embers ignited a fire in a wall behind a wood stove.

Franklin Volunteer Fire Department Chief Harold Hooker said he was the first to arrive on the scene of the fire at 1570 Sparger Road just after 10 p.m. He said Amburn’s son met him at the front door saying that his parents were still inside trying to put out the fire. Hooker quickly got the family out of the home.

Six fire departments, including about 30 firefighters, responded to the scene. Hooker said the blaze quickly spread to the second floor and the attic of the home. Shortly after the fire spread, he said flames could be seen shooting from both ends of the roof.

“It’s really hard to fight those types of fires. They said they just had a new metal roof put on the house and that was laid on top of shingles,” Hooker said.

When firemen reached the scene, the temperature was 15 degrees. Hooker said cold weather and the wind made conditions hard on the firefighters.

“Everybody was so cold. I saw icicles hanging off of helmets.” But, he noted, “No one complained.”

The American Red Cross came to the scene, bringing tired firefighters coffee, hot chocolate and doughnuts. They also assisted the family by arranging accommodations at the Comfort Inn for the next few days.

The family sat in their car and watched as firemen battled to save their home. After Surry County paramedics cleared the scene, they were called back to treat the senior Amburn for respiratory distress. Hooker said he believed it was caused by being exposed to such cold air.

Hooker said the department used fire blankets to cover the furniture and antiques on the first floor of the home to protect against water damage.

The home was insured and Hooker said adjusters were on the scene Friday morning to estimate the damage.

The Franklin fire department assisted on another call that came in Thursday night in the White Plains fire district. That fire claimed the home of Wanda Shockley at 2352 Old Hwy. The White Plains Volunteer fire department was in charge of the scene, while three other departments came out to assist.

Surry County Fire Investigator Jason Burkholder said the wood stove overheated the wall behind it and then the fire spread from throughout the structure, which was single-wide mobile home to which several rooms have been added through the years.

Hooker said, “I can’t stress enough that people need to make sure that their chimneys are clear of debris.” He also said that having working smoke detectors save lives.

In addition to the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, Pine Ridge, Bannertown, White Plains and Cana, Va. departments assisted at the Sparger Road fire Thursday night. Firefighters from the Four Way Volunteer Fire Department were placed on standby at the Franklin station in case another call came in. Mount Airy Rescue Squad was also on the scene.

When the firemen left the scene at about 2:30 a.m., Hooker said, the temperature was 10 degrees.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.