Argos family escapes fire thanks to family pets

By John Paul (jpaul@wsbt.com)

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Fire heavily damaged the upper-level of this Argos home early Saturday morning. (WSBT Photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Oct 11, 2009 at 8:34 PM EST

Story Updated: Oct 22, 2009 at 5:17 PM EST

ARGOS — A remarkable escape for a Marshall County family, after fire engulfed their home. The family thinks a recently-installed wood stove may have started the blaze.

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It's no longer home sweet home for Candace Hann and her family.

"Everything is gone," Hann said.

Fire ravaged the upstairs portion of the Maple Street home she shared with her fiance and their children.

In the room they were planning to use to celebrate their growing family, there is now falling debris from the ceiling and water-soaked carpeting.

"We were buying a big dining room table so everyone could have dinner together," Hann said.

Around 3 a.m. Saturday, everyone inside was fast asleep until Sapphire and Damien, their dogs, started barking.

"My fiance got up thinking someone was at the backdoor," said Hann.

No one was at the door. Instead, her fiancee found signs of trouble in the adjacent room.

"He saw the wood burner stove and smoke was coming out of the walls," she said.

He made a dash for the stairs to their bedroom.

"He came, got me up and said the wall was on fire," Hann said.

With the clothes on their back, they started to run out.

"When we called 911, I had to grab pajamas for my fiance to throw on because he was running around in his underwear. We walked out on the back porch and i could just hear it going up the back walls," Hann said.

She watched the things her family, including her daughter, loved so much go up in smoke.

"She wanted, for her birthday, new posters to hang on her walls and stuffed animals," Hann said. "It was hard as soon as I saw her, I didn't want to tell her."

Argos firefighters haven't pinpointed a cause. Hann suspects it may have been the wood-burning stove that started the blaze. It was installed Friday evening.

Now, as family and friends help her salvage everything they can from the home, she's thankful for the outpouring of support that will get her family through this difficult time.

"It's a start," said Hann. "It will never be the same."

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