Hodges VFD fights Thursday house fire

A wood heater left unattended meant almost total destruction of a Hodges home last week, despite hours of tireless effort from the Hodges Volunteer Fire Department with assistance from Vina Volunteer Fire Department.

It was Thursday night about 8 p.m. that the Hodges Volunteer Fire Department responded to house fire on Highway 172. Chief Lesley Cantrell said the homeowner’s wood heater, left unattended, was the cause.

“He had left and went to a neighbor’s house, and when he came back, the house was on fire,” Cantrell said. A suspicion is that the damper was not set or was set improperly in some way.

Cantrell said when the homeowner returned, he opened multiple doors, which resulted in a flashover of the whole house. Firefighting efforts were impeded by the stacks of firewood both inside the house, stacked all the way up the wall, as well as on the front porch. Cantrell said the VFD didn’t discover the firewood inside right away.

“We kept spraying water in and thought, ‘This thing out to be out,’” Cantrell said. When firefighters ultimately found the indoor firewood, they immediately set forth to remove the wood from the house, which aided their efforts.

Cantrell said firefighters were able to save some personal items from the bedrooms “but there wasn’t much. Everything else, it gutted it.”

Firefighters remained on the scene until after midnight. In Hodges, ten of the department’s 13 volunteers responded, and Vina added another five of its firefighters to the efforts. Cantrell extended thanks to Vina for its assistance.

Cantrell said the rain from Tuesday was a crucial factor in keeping the fire from spreading and causing an even more severe problem. “If it hadn’t been for that, all the woods behind it would have been afire,” he said.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x