House fire claims life in Trenton

By Crystal Burns

 A house fire on Hays Avenue in Trenton claimed one life Friday morning.

Trenton Fire Chief Terrence Elam said that firefighters responding to 219 Hays Ave. found the occupant, Wallace Clark, deceased inside the front of the home. The fire is under investigation, and the Trenton Police Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office Fire Investigation Division are helping determine the cause and origin of the fire.

The body was been sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Memphis for positive identification and a complete autopsy.

It’s the second fire-related death in the county this year. An elderly Milan man died in a house fire in January.

In a press release, Elam said the first firefighters arrived at 219 Hays Ave. at 10:04 a.m. and noted light smoke coming from the eaves of the residence. After securing the home, they made forcible entry through the front door and noted heavy fire damage. The fire had self-extinguished.

Elam said the rooms behind closed doors remained unharmed and reminded citizens to “Close the Door” on fire. The State Fire Marshal’s Office launched the “Close the Door” campaign in 2017. A closed door hinders flames and smoke from spreading to other rooms and can help deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to grow, limiting the structural damage a fire can cause, and most importantly, saving lives.

For more information on “Close the Door” and other fire safety measures, visit tn.gov/fire.

*This story has been updated to include the victim’s name.