A house fire on Sunday in Athens, Tenn., killed a bedridden elderly woman, and a subsequent explosion injured two firefighters, officials said.
Firefighters responding to the blaze at 306 Woodward Ave. and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the home, Athens fire officials said in a statement Monday. As firefighters made their way inside, they met a man on the first floor who said the elderly woman who couldn't walk was still inside a second-floor apartment. The man said he tried to reach her but couldn't because of the intense heat and smoke.
"Two firefighters made entry with an attack line to attempt to locate the female occupant still inside," the release states. "Once inside the structure, while performing their search-and-rescue operations, an explosion occurred inside the structure, shooting flames outside the doorway entrance and the opposite side windows, downing two firefighters."
A lieutenant on the scene was at the top of the structure's exterior stairway attempting to make contact with firefighters still inside the dwelling and assisted with the efforts of evacuating the downed firefighters, officials said.
The two injured firefighters were able to make their way out of the structure, where emergency medical crews checked them for injuries. The firefighters were taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
After the fire was brought under control, the woman was found dead, officials said. She has not been identified.
State fire officials were called to the scene to help with the investigation. Athens fire officials said the cause of the fire is under investigation, but it appears to have been accidental and possibly linked to the use of medical oxygen.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.