A family of five woke up to smoke in their home Saturday morning, and all were able to escape unhurt, although the home was a total loss.
Yalanda Flanagan and her four children, ages 14, 13, 2 and 8 months got out of the house with little more than the clothes they were wearing.
Flanagan said she had been having trouble with the air-conditioner, and believes the fire started from electrical wiring.
Doug Hutchison, fire chief for Skyline Fire Department, agreed that the fire seemed to have started in the west end of the mobile home where the breaker box was located.
Flanagan said the air-conditioner had been freezing up and kicking breakers. After leaving the breaker off during the night, Flanagan said she got up around 5:30 or 6 Saturday morning and turned the breaker back so the air-conditioner would run. Just before 9 a.m. she awoke to smoke in the house, and saw fire in the wall down the hallway.
Fire departments from Squires and Skyline were dispatched and were able to extinguish the blaze, but not before the structure was completely gutted.
Ava Rural Fire Department also responded with a tanker to supply more water.
Red Cross also responded to assist the family.
Flanagan said the property, located on County Road 219 just north of the Sweden Church, was owned by Gib and Connie Miller.
