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U.S. NEWS A7
Saturday 8 April 2017
Teen saves sister’s life in Tennessee fire; 5 others killed
JONATHAN MATTISE couldn’t find any smoke This photo shows the remains of a house that caught fire killing five family members in the early
Associated Press detectors in the charred morning hours Friday, April 7, 2017, in Buchanan, Tenn. A young teenager saved her little sister’s
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A home. life in the overnight house fire that killed their parents and three siblings, a Tennessee sheriff said
young teenager saved her Coles called it the “worst Friday.
little sister’s life in an over- tragedy I’ve ever seen in
night house fire that killed my 40 years in the fire ser- (Cassie Walsh/WMUF Radio via AP)
their parents and three vice.”
siblings, a Tennessee sheriff Belew said parents Jimmy to do to help grandmother, with their grandmother. “We’re a small rural, west
said Friday. Pollack and Carrie Pollack, and also to try to get ready The sheriff’s office set up a Tennessee county, and
The fire was reported be- and their children, 14-year- for her little sister to come donation account in the that’s kind of what we do,
fore midnight Thursday in old Jimmy Dale Pollack Jr.; home.” grandmother’s name at a is we help each other,”
Buchanan, along the Ken- 3-year-old Callie Pollack; Lilly and Rose will be living local bank. Belew said. q
tucky state line about 100 and 4-year-old Ivy Pollack
miles (160 kilometers) north- died in the fire.
west of Nashville. At a news Rose had minor burns to
conference, Henry County the neck, face and arms
Sheriff Monte Belew identi- and was taken to the hos-
fied the girls as 13-year-old pital, Belew said.
Lilly Pollack and 8-year-old Officials don’t view the fire
Rose Pollack. as suspicious. They are still
Lilly woke up coughing in investigating the cause,
her bed in a smoky room which could be faulty wir-
and was able to get out- ing or a wood stove.
side, said her family pastor, Stephens, who has talked
Randy Stephens of Sulphur with Lilly after the fire, said
Well Church of Christ. Lilly she’s an “outstanding
then heard someone call- young lady” who is going
ing from inside the home, to be OK, even though
so she stepped in, got Rose she’ll struggle with the loss
out and they ran to their of her family.
grandmother’s house next “She’s still in shock, very
door and called 911, the much so, I think,” Stephens
sheriff said. said. “And she’s just doing
“We are calling both of what she feels like she has
those individuals heroes,”
Belew said. Officers storm Indiana school after bomb threat
Lilly tried to rescue the rest
of her family, but couldn’t TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — North High School with guns has been hurt. There are no after the dog’s search is
get back inside again Dozens of police officers drawn as children and fac- hostages,” Plasse told re- completed and they have
because of the intense stormed a high school in ulty hid in their classrooms porters outside the school. collected their belongings
flames. western Indiana Friday around 10:30 a.m. An Indiana State Police from classrooms.
Paris Landing Volunteer morning following a re- Terre Haute Police Chief spokesman went a step Vigo County School Corp.
Fire Department Chief Reg- ported bomb threat, but John Plasse said about further. “All indications are spokesman Mick Newport
gie Coles said the home law enforcement later said 50 officers entered the that this is a hoax call,” said some 1,800 students
was already two-thirds they thought it was a hoax school. He said the children Capt. Dave Bursten said. and faculty were told to
engulfed when firefighters and that everyone was were moved to the gym Agitated parents mean- shelter in place after the
arrived. The victims were safe. while a bomb-sniffing dog while gathered outside the school received a call Fri-
likely already deceased, Police and district officials checked the premises as a school and demanded to day morning from some-
he said, and firefight- have not commented on precaution. He said there know why their children one making a bomb threat.
ers couldn’t get into the a Terre Haute Tribune-Star was no evidence of any had not been allowed to The school educates chil-
house because of the rag- report that the officers explosives at the school. leave. Plasse said the stu- dren grades nine through
ing fire. Afterward, officials swarmed the Terre Haute “The kids are safe. No one dents would be dismissed 12.q
