Dec. 31--KNOXVILLE -- An elderly couple escaped a house fire in West Knox County tonight after a neighbor saw the smoke and helped both residents to safety, emergency responders said.
Nichoma Kanipe was returning home when he spotted smoke billowing from the roof of a home across the street at 10757 Mercury Drive.
Kanipe said he sent his son to call E-911 and then ran inside the two-story brick house, which was quickly filling with smoke.
Upstairs he found the two residents, both of whom are in their 80s and have limited mobility, said Kanipe, and helped the wife down the stairs and out the front door as her husband followed.
"He was calm as a cucumber the whole time," Kanipe said. "I kept thinking the roof was going to fall in. ... I didn't see any fire -- just a lot of smoke. But I could feel heat the whole time. It was toasty."
The Rural/Metro and Karns Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire, which was reported at 5:42 p.m., according to an emergency dispatcher.
Rural/Metro Battalion Chief Jeff Devlin said the home suffered moderate damage. Firefighters were able to keep the flames contained largely to the attic, where the fire began, he said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Copyright 2012 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
