The call went out at 6 p.m. on a wet March 17 night, with low temperatures and intermittent sleet, for a house with flames coming out the roof at 3400 Donner Trail in Wake Forest, N.C.
The home was occupied by the Kennedy family who was renting the home set on the beautiful pine tree lot. According to the family their 19 year-old son, Chris was home alone when the smoke detector went off. He saw flames coming from his older sisters bedroom at the front of the house on the second floor. His older sister Sarah was away at a local job interview.
Don Kennedy, Julie his wife, and his daughters Sarah and Lauren, Chris and their Irish Setter are all safe.
Firefighters said when they first entered the house they spotted the dog and took it out to safety.
The family and dog are wet but unharmed. Several neighbors have offered to put them up for the night till the Kennedy's can deal with whatever happens next.
The house was located in an area that required fire tankers to come from as far away as Zebulon, to assist with water delivery. Fire apparatus and EMS units were scattered around the adjoining streets. Units from Wake Forest Fire Department, Rolesville Fire Department, Zebulon Fire Department, Bay Leaf Fire Department, Hopkins Rural Fire Department, Wake EMS, Eastern Wake EMS, and the New Hope Fire Department were on the scene.
Both Chief Ron Early from the Wake Forest Fire Department and Chief Rodney Privette appeared to have the scene tackled like the professionals they are.
