Jonesborough, Arkansas House a Total Loss
According to Major Bryan Hayworth, Jonesborough Fire Department, the fire at the home of Dewey Payne, 112 Payne Loop Road, was "fully involved" when firefighters arrived following the 1:56 p.m. call.
Hayworth said Payne's daughter told him Payne "built the house 40 years ago himself."
Payne, who is in his 80s, reportedly was able to get out of the house without injury.
Of major concern to firefighters was a 250-gallon propane tank located within 150 feet of the house. "When we got there, the labels on the tank were already turning brown from the heat," Hayworth said. "Keeping the propane tank cool was sort of our first priority because the house was already so involved."
He recalled a propane tank explosion in Mountain City, which leveled an area almost the size of a city block.
Hayworth said there were 12 oxygen tanks inside the house, four of which exploded. He said three of those explosions had already occurred when firefighters arrived.
Embreeville fire officials also were called to truck water into the location, off Greenwood Drive.
Fire officials were on the scene for several hours, he said, cleaning up the site and putting out hot spots.
The fire's cause was unknown Wednesday afternoon.