By By Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
Oct. 12, 2001
Meridian firefighters contained a Thursday afternoon house fire within minutes, a blaze that began when gasoline was used too close to a hot water heater.
Battalion Chief Howard Gibson said smoke was pouring from the 21st Avenue house when firefighters arrived shortly before 5 p.m. The home belongs to Carl and D.M. Grady.
D.M. Grady said she had been painting the bathroom walls and had asked her husband what substance to use to clean paint that had spilled on the floor.
Grady said she began dabbing gasoline on the floor with a sponge and "I didn't think about the hot water heater. The fire spread and came around me on the floor. It went all around me. Gas was on my shoes and I was on fire."
Grady, who watched firefighters extinguish the blaze, said she planned to go to an emergency room because of pain in her legs and feet.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3236, or e-mail her at mtodd@themeridianstar.com.