Volunteers fight house fire 06-24-08

WHEN 2183 CAROL STREET WENT UP IN FLAMES TUESDAY MORNING, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WITH INDIAN MOUNDS AND RIVERSIDE DROPPED EVERYTHING THEY WERE DOING. ONE FIREFIGHTER SAID, "I WORK AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY. I-M, A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AND I HAD TO LEAVE THE FARM." ANOTHER, "I'M A FARMER, COTTON AND SOYBEANS." THEY WERE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO SAVE OTHERS AND PROPERTY.  THEY SAID, "HOT DAYS LIKE THIS DOESN'T MATTER UNTIL YOU TRY TO COME OUT AND COOL OFF A TYPICAL HOUSE FIRE IS 12 HUNDRED DEGREES." AND THEY DIDN'T MIND HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY. "WE WERE KIND OF SHORT HANDED THIS MORNING AND A (LANDSCAPER) HELPED US OUT. LOUIS KILPATRICK. HE'S THE LANDSCAPER WHO WAS HOLDING THE HOSE FOR THEM. HE TOLD US, WHEN WE ASKED HIM, "ARE YOU A FIREFIGHTER," "NO, BUT I AM NOW."  "WHY DID YOU COME OUT HERE?" "I SAW THE SMOKE CAME OVER AND SAW THEY NEEDED HELP SO I JUST STARTED HELPING WATCHING THE HOSE." WHILE THE FIREFIGHTERS BATTLED THE STUBBORN BLAZE, SEVERAL WOMEN BROUGHT THEM COLD WATER. ONE PERSON SAID, "I'M GLAD THAT I CAN AND THEY CAME QUICKLY BECAUSE NOBODY DIED." IF THESE BRAVE FIREFIGHTERS HAD NOT DONE THEIR JOBS SO WELL, THE OUTCOME FOR THE HORNES COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT DIFFERENT.