Smoke Alarms Alert Residents to Lebanon House Fire

LEBANON, Ind. – Flames shot from the roof of a Lebanon home after a fire broke out early Wednesday morning.

The Lebanon Fire Department was dispatched around 5 a.m. to the 1400 block of Citation Circle West. There, firefighters encountered smoke and flames coming from the roof of a home.

The homeowner was out of state. However, three relatives were staying at the home when the fire broke out, including the homeowner’s daughter. All managed to get out safely through the back door.

“If you hear the 911 call, I was in a panic and I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t get out of the house,” recalled Kierra McClaine. “I’ve never been a fire before. Never been in a situation like this before. And this is our childhood home we’ve lived here 30 years. So everything–pictures of my grandparents who have passed–everything is in that house. And literally everything.” 

The Lebanon Fire Department is still piecing together what led to Wednesday morning’s fire.

McClaine said help arrived before she knew it.

“They were here quick. First, it was Lebanon Police Department, two very helpful police officers who, you know, directed us to get back, and then the fire department was five seconds later,” she said.

Smoke alarms worked exactly as intended.

“I’m really grateful. I am normally a heavy sleeper, but hearing that smoke detector alarm really saved our lives today,” said McClaine, who added that she initially thought the alarm came from her phone.

“This is a great example of that middle of the night when you’re not aware of what’s going on in the home. It alerts you, gets you awake, gives you that extra time,” said Jason Adams with the Lebanon Fire Department. “Those minutes really matter.”

According to Adams, crews had the fire under control in about 25 minutes. It took about an hour to extinguish the flames.

“We had a report of fire on the front porch when the initial call came in and five minutes later, it’s into the attic, into the second floor, so it spreads really quickly and those minutes matter,” Adams said.

The home sustained significant damage. The cause remains under investigation. The Red Cross was helping residents find temporary housing.