It appears severe weather caused a power surge which sparked several house fires Tuesday morning around 7 o’clock.
Memphis firefighters battled three house fires on South Reese Street in the U of M area.
MLGW has been working to restore power to the neighborhood.
Lisa McClain was the only person home when the fires started. She was sitting on her couch when suddenly she smelled something burning. She looked out her kitchen window and saw it.
She said, “I started unplugging things but then the electricity starting popping off.
There was a box right outside the kitchen on the outside of the house that was in flames, and it was melting.”
McClain grabbed a jug of water sitting nearby and put out the fire.
Then she heard sirens, so she ran outside as fire trucks were passing her house.
“I ran down the street in the rain saying the fire is up here, but there were two other houses on fire down the street that were much worse,” said McClain.
Lt. Wayne Cooke with the Memphis Fire Department said harsh weather caused a power surge that sparked electrical fires in the three homes on South Reese. No one was hurt.
Cooke said every resident should be prepared and this incident is a reminder to review fire safety in your home.
“Early access. Early response is primary in getting out of a structure safely,” said Cooke.
McClain has a working smoke detector. She is thankful she was able to think fast and save herself and her home.
“Just very very lucky to have been here.They said it was my cable box that fried. It was scary. It was really scary,” said McClain.
