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Couple escapes burning residence

By DAVID MELSON - dmelson@t-g.com
Posted 2/11/23

A couple escaped their burning Cortner Hollow Road home with only their lives after an early morning fire Thursday.

Jay Jernigan was being checked by Bedford County EMS staff inside an ambulance …

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Couple escapes burning residence

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A couple escaped their burning Cortner Hollow Road home with only their lives after an early morning fire Thursday.

Jay Jernigan was being checked by Bedford County EMS staff inside an ambulance around 6:30 this morning, approximately 30 minutes after the blaze was reported. His wife, Stacy, wrapped imn a towel and robe in the early morning chill, hugged their dog and looked for their cat while repeatedly coughing.

Firefighters urged Stacy to be checked as well. Both were showing signs of smoke inhalation, investigators said.

“He woke up and thought it was daylight,” Stacy said.

Jay realized quickly he was actually seeing the flames.

“We ran out of the house,” Stacy said. “The kitchen was on fire.”

Jay climbed through a window to escape.

“I just ran out the front door,” Stacy said. “I helped him out the window.”

Stacy looked over the melted, charred front ends of two vehicles parked at the home.

“That was my new Hyundai,” she said.

Firefighters from Bedford County Fire Department were aided by Shelbyville Fire Department.

The cause of the fire was undetermined late Thursday morning, the Bedford County Fire Department said.