Total loss: Flames shoot up into the night sky as the Carl Bennett home burns south of Bethany. Bennett received burns to his back, side and face and was treated at the Harrison County Community Hospital.
Carl Bennett suffered second-degree burns early Monday morning as he escaped from his burning home south of Bethany.
Bennett was treated at the Harrison County Community Hospital following the fire that broke out at about 2:30 a.m.
The fire quickly engulfed Bennett’s large frame home, located about five miles south of Bethany just off Highway 69.
Fire Chief Jacob Denum said the house was completely enveloped in flames by the time the firemen arrived at the scene. He said it was impossible to determine a cause of the fire because of the damage to the structure, which was left a smoldering ruin.
The house was built in 2001 and overlooks a large pond. Travis Bennett, his cousin who lives on the other side of the pond, said Carl was awakened by a popping sound. Smoke quickly filled the home’s large vaulted ceiling, and he barely managed to get out of the structure.
Travis Bennett said he woke up to hear his cousin pounding on his window trying to get help. He had called 911 on his cellphone.
Bennett had second-degree burns on his back and side. He was taken by private vehicle to the hospital. Bennett was able to get one of his pickups out of the burning structure but he lost a work pickup and a trailer to the fire.
He was injured when he returned to the burning structure to retrieve a pair of boots.
Bennett works for a local contractor who is installing cable in Kansas City for Google Fiber. He usually leaves for work by 5:30 on weekdays, his cousin said. He now is staying with a sister.
Family members said Carl lost an extensive collection of fossils and Native American artifacts that he had collected over the years.