Firefighters save two from morning house fire in Landis | News

LANDIS - Firefighters were able to work quickly to rescue two people inside of a burning house Tuesday morning in Landis.

The fire was first reported a little after 4 at the Brown residence in the area of Mount Moriah Church Road and W. Rice Street.  At the time a thunderstorm was rolling through southern Rowan County with heavy lightning.

Brenda Brown told WBTV that her parents, Billy Ray and Addie Brown, were asleep when Addie heard the lightning strike the house.

The blessing, according to Brenda, was the fact that three Landis firefighters were staged right across the street from the house at the Sandy Ridge convenience store.  They were there while other firefighters checked on fire alarms that had gone off in the area around the same time.  Typically lightning can set off some types of fire and burglar alarms.

Firefighters Rodney Wilhoit, his brother Grady, and Stephen Overcash heard the thunder and lightning strike the Brown home, then saw smoke and flames immediately start coming from the front of the house.

The firefighters were able to get inside and get Billy Ray and Addie out of the house, helping one to walk out and carrying the other. 

The Browns are okay, but the home is heavily damaged.