CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A family already sheltering survivors of the Clarksville tornado lost their home to a fire in the Autumn Creek subdivision Monday morning.
At 10:21 a.m., first responders and firefighters from stations 10, 11, 7 and 1 arrived to find a pillar of smoke coming from the 1900 block of General Neyland Drive.
According to Clarksville Fire and Rescue, the home was occupied by a family of three who had taken in their aunt and uncle after they lost their home following tornado damage on Saturday.
Firefighters managed to contain most of the fire to the garage, but the bonus room above it may have also sustained damage. All five made it out safely, including the six dogs in the house.
Neighbors say that they heard a loud explosion before the fire started and believe it could have been a propane tank or a generator.
CFR said that investigators determined the residents were cooking with charcoal and staying warm last night with a fire pit because of no electricity. The coals were dumped in a trashcan, which was determined to be the origin of the fire.
Parts of the Autumn Creek subdivision had also suffered significant damage from the tornado. CFR said traffic through the neighborhood is slow as CDE and clean-up efforts are underway to restore power and remove debris, and first responders and Animal Control are still on the scene of the house fire.