Tribune Staff Reports
The small community of Crothersville is rallying behind a family of five that lost their home and belongings in a fire Saturday afternoon.
Two local businesses are collecting donations for Wesley Jones, Shynna Jent and their three young daughters.
Dollar General, 300 N. Armstrong St., Crothersville, is accepting anything people want to bring, said store manager Lori Schroeder.
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“They lost everything,” Schroeder said.
Jent has worked at the store for about a year, and her home at 301 N. Vine St. could be seen from the store, Schroeder said.
Beauty From Ashes Tattoo Parlor, 218 N. Armstrong St., just south of Dollar General, also is taking donations. Anyone dropping off items will receive a $25 gift certificate, said business owner Kyle McIntosh.
Items needed immediately include size 4 diapers, girls shoes and clothing in sizes 18/24, 4T and 5T; men’s size large shirts, size 11½ shoes and 32/32 pants; and women’s medium shirts, size 3-5 pants and size 8 shoes.
Other items being accepted include toys, toiletries and nonperishable food items.
The American Red Cross is assisting the family.
The fire was reported to county dispatch at 3:58 p.m. by the family. Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department personnel arrived on scene at 4:02 p.m. and remained there until 8:59 p.m., Fire Chief Charles Densford said.
He said Jent and the children left the home, and Jones mowed the lawn. Jones left the home after he finished mowing and was gone for about an hour before returning home when he saw smoke coming from the structure, Densford said.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, and Densford and Deputy Fire Chief Ben Spencer expect to finish the investigation today.
Densford said the structure of the home was still up, but the inside sustained smoke and water damage. The middle of the house sustained serious fire damage, he added.
Spencer said the blaze was very difficult to battle due to the extreme temperatures and lack of visibility from smoke.
“We had an extreme fire behavior event occur while we were inside,” Spencer said Monday.
Firefighters were able to make entry into the home with good visibility at first, he said.
“We had a really good idea of where the fire was at and could get a quick knockdown,” Spencer said.
But things changed quickly.
“About halfway into the room, it went from OK visibility to zero visibility and from 300 degrees to over 800 degrees in an instant,” he said.
Densford said firefighters used a thermal imaging camera that showed the sharp rise in temperature.
“The fire had done what is called a flashover in the room of origin and pushed the heat and smoke out to us,” Spencer said.
The flames also had gotten into the attic, forcing firefighters to evacuate and battle the blaze from outside, he said.
“I’ve been doing this for 14 years, and it’s the first time I’ve experienced that,” Spencer said.
Also responding to the fire were Crothersville Police Department, Jackson County Emergency Medical Services, Jennings Township Volunteer Fire Department in Austin and Jackson-Washington Volunteer Fire Department. Densford said 21 firefighters were on scene.
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Donations are being accepted for Wesley Jones, Shynna Jent and their three young daughters of Crothersville after they lost their home and belongings in a fire Saturday afternoon.
Donations may be dropped off at Dollar General, 300 N. Armstrong St., Crothersville, or Beauty From Ashes Tattoo Parlor, 218 N. Armstrong St., Crothersville.
Items needed immediately include size 4 diapers, girls shoes and clothing in sizes 18/24, 4T and 5T; men’s size large shirts, size 11½ shoes and 32/32 pants; and women’s medium shirts, size 3-5 pants and size 8 shoes.
Other items being accepted include toys, toiletries and nonperishable food items.
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