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Firefighters Battle Blaze At Woman's Home

1 Person Suffers Minor Burns

POSTED: 12:30 pm CDT August 15, 2007
UPDATED: 7:42 pm CDT August 15, 2007

The intense heat hampered the efforts of firefighters after a blaze broke out at a woman's group home on Carolyn Avenue in east Nashville.

Related: Video: Intense Heat Tough On Nashville Firefighters | Images

One firefighter was injured and others had to take several breaks because of the dangerously high temperatures.

Authorities said the fire began in the roof of the home. Because of the near 100-degree temperatures, firefighters called in a second alarm to assist the crews.

HEAT WAVE
SAFETY TIPS

Once the additional firefighters arrived, they rotated the units in and out of the home so workers could take water breaks and cool off.

"We actually began what we call a cool-off process. Their blood pressures, pulse rates and respiration rates are checked. We encourage them to sit down, rest. We give them cold drinks and something to refresh them," said Charles Shannon of the Nashville Fire Department.

One firefighter received minor burns on the neck trying to put out the blaze.

The women who live at the residence all escaped the home safely.

The owners of the drug and alcohol recovery group home received the final permit to operate late last year.

However, the house had to comply with strict building and fire code requirements. The owner of the group home said she had just come up to codes by installing a sprinkler system in the house, which cost $30,000.

"Unfortunately the fire was outside the sprinkler area," said Kim Lawson of the Nashville Fire Department.

Despite that, sprinklers have been proven to help contain and sometime put out small fires.

"Sprinklers are a great thing should a fire erupt in a building. They're like a lot of little firefighters on duty 24 hours a day with water and go off when needed,” said Lawson.

The Red Cross is putting all of the women up in hotel rooms.

A local volunteer agency also provided drinks to the firefighters and residents of the home to make sure everybody stayed hydrated.

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