NEWELL-On the morning of December 5, the Newell Fire Department and Ambulance were called to a house fire on Sixth Street in answer to a 911 call.
Devon Jones was asleep upstairs when he awoke to smoke filling his home. He managed to exit the home via the bedroom window and call his mother. After deciphering what he was trying to tell her, she called 911 immediately.
Newell VFD arrived on scene to find a fire in the basement, started by an extension cord. Fire Chief Verl Tifft said that a Mutual Aid call went out to the Vale and Nisland Fire Departments. The three departments, consisting of 14-16 firefighters, engaged the fire in the basement and stayed for a little longer than an hour and half.
The upstairs of the home was filled with smoke, but Devon was safe. He was aided by the Newell Ambulance crew and transported to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
The home is not livable at this time, as it not only has fire damage in the basement, but extensive smoke damage upstairs.
Tanya Tifft would like to express her thanks to the Newell, Vale, and Nisland Fire Departments and the Newell Ambulance for their quick action.
“I want to thank all the others, too, who came to help,” she said.
She added that it will take time to fix the house and will need plumbers, electricians, and construction workers to make it inhabitable.
