MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two women died Monday after a fire destroyed their Whitehaven home.
A devastating loss for the family and friends like Jessica Applewhite. Applewhite’s best friend is the granddaughter of one of the deceased women.
“Knowing someone for so long, it’s hard to hear that this happened,” Applewhite said. “It’s just all a shock and it’s a lot to know she didn’t make it.”
The fire was ruled an accidental electrical fire but that ruling brought questions from multiple residents as they cited the power outages lasting hours that day.
MLGW said the power did not go out at the address where the fire happened but there were circuits out in the area.
“At Hancock they went off at the same time at 8:30 but they still off,” neighbor Sarah Johnson said. “This morning I know it was raining a little bit but I don’t see no reason why the lights had to go off or why it took that long for them to come back on.”
Regardless, the deadly fire is leaving family, friends and neighbors speechless.
“I’m just shocked, I’m more shocked than anything,” one neighbor said.
“I don’t wanna say it ‘cause they just told my older sister and if I say it I’m gone cry,” Applewhite said.
A long road of mourning is ahead.
“A loss of words – you have no words – only thing you can do is cry,” Applewhite said. “But you can’t cry because you wanna be strong for those that has been affected by it.”
Neighbors said their neighborhood on Hancock Drive is changed forever.