Published: April 02, 2009 08:28 pm      

Home catches fire twice in one night

Originally s­tarted by a toppled candle, rekindled in the attic three hours after it was extinguished

About three hours after Trinidad and Malakoff Volunteer Fire Departments left a house fire on Wednesday evening, it rekindled in the attic.

The Trinidad home was completely destroyed by the fire according to Trinidad Volunteer Fire Department Chief Arthur Arnold.

He said the woman who lived in the small brick house at 410 West Scruggs was present when the fire broke out, but escaped without injury.

“She said the fire started when a candle was knocked over,” Arnold said.”

At 9:10 p.m., Henderson County 9-1-1 received a call from 409 Scruggs reporting the house across the street was on fire.

Firefighters from Trinidad and Malakoff arrived and gained control of the blaze in minutes.

“When we got there, it was pretty well engulfed. Everyone did a good job of knocking it down within about five minutes,” Arnold said. “We did keep it from spreading to a little building out behind the house.”

He said the house was totaled by the original fire, then at about 1 a.m., burst into flames a second time.

“The second time, it burned everything down but the brick,” Arnold said. “It had been burning in the attic a long time. It was on a dead end street and police happened to go by in see it.”

TVFD had two gas rigs, a pumper and the chief’s truck at the fire at its peak, Arnold said.

Fourteen Trinidad firefighters worked the blaze. The Malakoff Volunteer Fire Department assisted with two trucks and three firefighters.

Arnold said he did not have the woman’s name, but believed she was in her 40s. She had been living in the house with no electricity.

“I think the Red Cross is going to help her find a place to stay and get some clothes,” he said.