Woman Escapes Fire by Climbing Out Window

A woman was able to escape a fire that gutted her home early last Wednesday by crawling out a window.

The victim was able to break another window and get her vehicle away from the fire, and was able to save her dogs and cats, although one cat was reported missing.

Steve Rutherford, Sequoyah County Emergency Management director, put the victim in touch with the Red Cross so that she was able to get housing. Her name was not available.

The home was gutted but the woman did have insurance, Rutherford said.

Sallisaw Fire Chief Anthony Armstrong said the Brent, Sallisaw and Gans Fire Departments were dispatched at about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday to the home about seven miles south of Sallisaw and west of U.S. Highway 59 about one mile.

The woman told firefighters that when she woke up and opened her bedroom door the fire and smoke were coming from a room set up as an office and was also in the hallway to that room. The woman then crawled out her bedroom window to escape the blaze.

Armstrong said firefighters had the fire under control in about half an hour, but the rock home was gutted. The cause of the fire is undetermined, he added.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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