Local family loses home to fire amid other tragedy
Posted on Friday, December 5, 2008
Daily Record photograph by Randy Moll Fire raged through the attic and roof of the Tom and Vicky Graves home east of Decatur on Thursday morning. The fire reportedly started in the flue of a newly built fireplace.
DECATUR — A flue fire that started in a newly built fireplace destroyed a home along Arkansas Highway 102, east of Decatur, on Thursday morning.
Fire departments from Decatur, Highfill and Gentry, along with tanker support from Hiwasse and Gravette, responded to the blaze at the home of Tom and Vicky Graves, 164949 Highway 102 W. shortly after 10: 30 a. m.
When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames could already be seen coming from the roof of the single-story dwelling. The fire quickly spread through the attic of the home, causing much of the roof to collapse.
No one was injured in the fire, but the home and all but a few items rescued from the blaze were destroyed.
The fire started in a recently built fireplace, according to homeowner Tom Graves.
“ There were some gaps between the bricks that the installer was supposed to fix, ” but apparently, he didn’t get them all, Graves said.
The loss of their home comes on top of another tragedy for the Graves family. Vicky is in the hospital and just learned she has a brain tumor, according to her daughter Brenda Bills.
Making matters even worse for the Graves family is that the home and contents were not insured.
“ We were trying to find some less-expensive insurance, ” Tom Graves said. His old policy had lapsed, and he didn’t yet have a new policy in effect, he said.
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