February 18, 2008

Woman burned in fire

       A woman injured in a Center Grove area house fire was in serious condition in the burn unit of an Indianapolis hospital Sunday afternoon.  June Deaver suffered second-degree burns when a fire started in her home early Saturday morning, said White River Township Fire Marshal Eric Brown.  Deaver lives with her daughter and son-in-law, Roxie and Pete Convery, at 177 Innisbrooke Ave., west of the Fairview and Morgantown roads intersection.

         A lit cigarette sparked the fire, Brown said.  "(Deaver) was awakened through the fire in the bed. Her daughter described to us that when she heard the smoke detector, she woke up, heard the dogs barking, went over and looked and her mother was on the floor trying to put the fire out on top of the bed," Brown said.  Roxie Convery made it out of the house and suffered minor injuries from inhaling smoke. She was released from Community Hospital South in Indianapolis a few hours after the fire, which broke out around 6:30 a.m., Brown said.  One of the family's five dogs died in the fire.  Deaver was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital's burn unit and was on a ventilator to help her breathe Sunday afternoon, Brown said.  Pete Convery was not at home during the fire.  Roxie Convery was able to run out of the house on her own, but Deaver only made it to the front hallway, Brown said. Firefighters had to pull Deaver, who was semi-conscious, out of the house through the front door while the fire was still raging in her bed and living rooms, Brown said.

         Damage was estimated at $65,000, Brown said. The most severe damage to the house happened in the hallway and Deaver's bedroom, while smoke and heat damage affected the rest of the house.  A fire engine from the Greenwood Fire Department assisted during the blaze, and firefighters were able to get the fire under control within 10 minutes after arriving at the scene around 6:40 a.m., Brown said.  See a related stories HERE and HERE.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 

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