700 Club Interactive - Through the Fire: A Family’s Story of Loss and Survival

Aaron and Amy Weakley woke up to smoke alarms and their house completely engulfed by flames. With their 3 daughters spread out throughout the house, only a miracle could get them all out alive.




NOTE: Picture below is the remains of the Weakley Home.

U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 357,000 home structure fires per year during 2009-2013. These fires caused an estimated average of 2,470 civilian deaths, 12,890 civilian injuries, and $6.9 billion in direct property damage per year. Seventy percent of reported home fires and 84% of the home fire deaths occurred in one- or two-family homes, including manufactured homes. The remainder occurred in apartments or other multi-family housing.

Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home structure fires and fire injuries. Smoking materials were the leading cause of home fire deaths. One-quarter of home fire deaths were caused by fires that started in the bedroom; another quarter by fires originating in the living room, family room, or den; 16% were caused by fires starting in the kitchen. Three out of five home deaths resulted from fires with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

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