Firefighters rescued a Bible from a burning house in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday morning.
“It’s nice to know that we have those kinds of people that are taking care of us, and I’ll be indebted to them for a long time,” homeowner Mike Smith said, referring to the firefighters who retrieved his wife’s Bible from the blaze, according to WSMV 4.
“She had to have that,” Smith said. “Because we depend on the Lord to get us through every day.”
Tennessee family thanks firefighters for saving Bible https://t.co/Vt7T49kQE6
— wvlt (@wvlt) January 24, 2024
Smith constructed the home himself, taking over a decade to complete it, according to the outlet. He warned homeowners of the importance of fireplace upkeep following the incident.
“Make sure you buy good dry seasoned wood to put in your fireplace and keep it cleaned,” Smith said. “Otherwise, something like this could happen to anybody else.”
Smith’s daughter, Ruby Lewis, set up a GoFundMe for her father after the fire. (RELATED: Cops Seek Suspect Who Allegedly Doused Man With Flammable Liquid, Lit Him On Fire)
“I cannot begin to list everything that was lost. About half of the house is completely gone. These are the last people who deserve something like this happening,” Lewis wrote on the fundraiser’s website. “The house is inhabitable at this time. We are hoping to move back in with all the help we can get.”