Resident wakes to find house on fire
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on April 12, 2004 1:59 PM
A sleeping resident was awakened by a neighbor and escaped from his burning home. Another home also was damaged heavily in a weekend fire, a Goldsboro fire official said.
Keith Rodgers was sleeping Friday night on a couch in his duplex apartment at 408 N. Slocumb St. He was awakened by a neighbor and scrambled outside to safety, uninjured.
"Upon our arrival, heavy fire and smoke was coming from the home," Assistant Fire Chief Gary Whaley said today. "The fire was knocked down pretty quickly, but we had to do extensive overhaul to the home."
The cause of the blaze was referred to police for a further investigation.
Damage was estimated at $20,000 to the home and $1,000 to contents, Whaley said. The one-floor duplex, owned by Calvin Hodges of Goldsboro, was valued at $30,000. Contents were valued at $5,000.
Sixteen firefighters answered the 6:17 p.m. alarm with four engines, a ladder and a command car. They needed about 30 minutes to control the fire and remained another two hours to investigate the cause and finish salvage work.
An adjoining, vacant apartment had smoke damage only.
An electrical failure was blamed Sunday for a fire that damaged a home at 801 Olivia Lane, Whaley said.
"Heavy smoke was showing when we arrived," he said. "We found the fire in the kitchen."
Whaley said the fire was caused by an overload of appliances on a drop cord.
The one-floor brick home, occupied by Barbara McKinney, sustained $12,000 in damages. About $2,000 worth of contents also was damaged. The home, owned by Windley Henry of Raleigh, was valued at $30,000. Contents were valued at $6,000.