Fire claims Wilson County home

Fire claimed a Wilson County couple's home Tuesday.

Emergency personnel responded to a house fire at 9690 Murfreesboro Road at about 6 p.m.

“We got here, and there were already flames coming out of the roof,” said Battalion Chief Joey Cooper of the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency.

The homeowner, Tony Nation, his girlfriend, Tammy Becker, and Becker’s 22-year-old son were home when the fire started.

“We just got through eating dinner, and I had just got out of the shower, and the lights flickered,” said Nation. “My girlfriend looked at me, and I looked around and couldn’t find anything. Her son runs upstairs, and he hollers ‘Fire!’…I run in, and flames were shooting down out of the ceiling.”

All three were able to grab their essentials – cellphones, wallets and one set of keys – before escaping the house.

“She couldn’t find her keys to her car, so she has to have her car towed to the dealership to have a new key made,” said Nation.

While the fire was initially contained primarily in one portion of the house – the original portion built in 1925 - the fire continued to flare back up throughout the night and into Wednesday.

“They came out about 8:30 a.m., 9 a.m., and put it out again,” said Nation. “[A firefighter] said it was a firefighter’s nightmare…You had a window on this end; you had a big 8-by-8 window in the front and the door open in back, and it dragged in a draft.”

By Wednesday morning, the original portion and the remaining part of the home – added in 1954 – were both in ruins.

“We just lost everything,” said Nation. “It’s a total loss.”

Nation is currently working with his insurance provider to begin the claim process.

“I have to go through everything in every room,” said Nation.

He said his insurance adjuster warned him it could take up to two months to receive payment on the claim and another six months to rebuild.

“He told me ‘be prepared for eight months to a year of being displaced,’” said Nation.

His insurance will cover the cost of renting a hotel room or an apartment, and several of Nation’s family members live close.

“Insurance will pay for everything until the house is built,” said Nation.

To Nation, though, most of his belongings are replaceable, but there are some things that cannot be replaced – Becker’s heirloom china and silver; Nation’s now-adult children’s childhood belongings; their home.

“I’ve been here almost 19 years,” said Nation. “It was home.

 Staff writer Sara McManamy-Johnson can be reached at 615-444-3952, ext. 16 or sjohnson@lebanondemocrat.com.