Gainesville, TX — Two adults were rescued from a burning home after Gainesville Fire-Rescue responded to a fourth-alarm structure fire early Aug. 6.
Firefighters were dispatched around 4:45 a.m. to the 400 block of Hillside Drive, where they arrived to find a residence fully involved in flames with occupants trapped inside.
Crews rescued an adult man and woman from the home. The man was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The woman was also taken to a local hospital before being transferred by CareFlite to a regional hospital for treatment.
During the rescue, firefighters encountered difficulty removing the occupants through a bedroom window because the opening was too small. Crews had to remove the window frame to create an opening large enough to complete the rescue.
The residence was considered a complete loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to Gainesville Fire-Rescue, smoke alarms were present and operating but failed to alert the occupants.
Fire Safety Reminder:
The department is reminding residents that every bedroom should have a safe secondary exit. Bedroom escape windows should be properly sized, operational and capable of being opened from inside without special tools, keys or knowledge.
Windows should also be kept free of furniture and other obstructions and should not be painted or sealed shut.
