House lost to flames, but Kuykendalls escape unharmed
Smoke alarm malfunctions; 7-year-old son wakes up family
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Photo by Elmer Cavender Wharton firfi.ghters stretch a hose as they move towards a Texas Avenue home that caught on fire apparently from an electrical problem.

While his family lost all their worldly possessions early Monday morning, Frederick Kuykendall was just grateful everyone escaped the blaze with their lives.

"I just give thanks to God that we all survived," Kuykendall said. "I had a hard time believing it was real. I kept thinking it was a dream and I'd wake up and everything would be all right."

The fire was called in to emergency responders at 2:27 a.m. as the family was escaping their home at 2720 N. Texas Ave.

"My wife (Trish) and I were asleep when my 7-year-old son, Frederick Jr., woke us up and said he smelled smoke," Kuykendall said.

"We went out the front door, but we couldn't get to the back where my daughter (LaToya Billups) and grandbaby (Aquarius Billups) were sleeping. I went around back and broke out the window to their room and we got them out of the house."

Deputy Fire Chief Domingo Montalvo Jr. said the roof of the home was fully involved and flames were pouring out of two major windows when firefighters arrived on the scene.

While the fire is still under investigation, Montalvo said the department felt very strongly the fire was electrical in nature and started in a window airconditioner unit and then spread up into the attic area.

He added that based on how fast the fire spread through the home, the family was lucky to survive because the smoke detector didn't go off.

"It's very rare for someone to be awakened by smoke," Montalvo said. "It was an older smoke detector and a lot of people don't realize that a smoke detector has a shelf life and will quit working. So if you don't remember how old the smoke detectors in your home are, it's probably time to replace them. And not just the batteries, the whole unit."

The fire department responded with two engines, a rescue vehicle and three chiefs vehicles, Assistant Fire Chief Scott Stewart said. A total of 22 firefighters made the scene.

"There was a hydrant right down the street so we had sufficient water," Stewart said. "The second engine tapped into the hydrant and pumped water to the first one."

He added the department quickly determined there was no one in the house and went into a defensive fire fighting mode.

"We couldn't make entry because the roof was already starting to collapse," he said. "We didn't want to risk any lives because the home was already a total loss."

While there were no injuries requiring ambulance transport or hospitalization, Kuykendall said his daughter and granddaughter suffered some minor cuts going through the window and his wife hurt her knee escaping the home.

After suffering the loss, Kuykendall said the family was scheduled to spend Monday night in a hotel while deciding what to do next.

"The Red Cross was called and they have us a voucher for three nights in a hotel," he said.

"After that, I had a camper trailer in the backyard that wasn't damaged and we'll probably move into it on a temporary basis. I was in the process of buying the home so we had insurance and I'll put any money I get from that toward rebuilding."

Kuykendall said the family also received a voucher to purchase some basic clothes and personal items. He added he would have plenty of time to try and make arrangements this week.

"I work at Wal-Mart and I took vacation this week to spend some time with the family," he said.

The family attends New Hope Baptist Church and Montalvo said the church is collecting clothing and other items for the family to replace what was lost in the fire. Kuykendall added that persons interested in making a donation can contact him directly by calling his cell phone at 533-7667.