Two people suffer serious burns after Athens house fire

ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) — Two people are in a hospital’s burn unit after suffering serious injuries in a fire last night in Athens. A firefighter was also injured in the rescue.

Flames were seen on Wednesday night at a home on East Madison Avenue in Athens.

“It seemed almost like an epidemic. It was bad,” said Emory McKheean, a neighbor.

An 87-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man were pulled from the house by firefighters. They were flown to a hospital and are being treated for burn injuries. Neighbors who saw the response are saddened by the situation.

“Any kind of tragedy, it’s not really known in Athens because we are so small,” McKheean said.

During the rescue a firefighter was injured when a ceiling collapsed.

“The firefighter’s helmet took the biggest blow, so it didn’t break their neck or do any long term damage. Now they are sore. They are beat up today,” said Chief Jim Dyer, with the City of Athens Fire Department.

The City of Athens Fire Chief is proud of everyone who responded.

“We pulled two victims out of a house that another minute they wouldn’t be alive. They are at least alive. We don’t know what the outcome is going to be, but we will deal with that whenever that happens,” Chief Dyer said.

“I definitely will be thinking and praying for their families,” McKheean said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The names of the people involved have not been released.