Grill fire spreads, devours house

A neglected gas grill flared up and destroyed a Hidden Harbor home Sunday, authorities said.

Hamilton County Emergency Services spokeswoman Amy Maxwell said in a news release the 911 call came in at 2 p.m. for a house on Lake Meadows Drive.

Firefighters from Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department got there and saw the back of the house and attic were fully ablaze. They asked for backup and crews from Red Bank and Soddy-Daisy, along with Mutual Aid Chief Mike Williams responded.

The homeowners, Wendell and Kathy Smith, said they were cooking hamburgers on their gas grill and forgot to turn off the gas. Moments later, Kathy Smith heard a popping noise coming from the porch area and found the gas grill ablaze. The Smiths tried unsuccessfully to put it out with a hose and a fire extinguisher.

The couple and their dog were uninjured and are staying with family and friends, Maxwell said.