Family narrowly escapes house fire, loses 6 beloved pets

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A family lost their Coffee County home and six rescue animals in a fire amid a winter storm.

Jess Stallman and her husband, Mark, have a rescue farm. They lost three dogs, two birds and a pig. The family said the pets brought joy to their home.

“I’m thankful that they were part of my life,” Stallman said. “There were times when they would be the only reason I got out of bed because I knew that they needed to be fed and taken care of. I am thankful for the time that I had with each one of them.”

They were able to save a dog and a pet pig in the fire. Stallman said she only had minutes to escape.

”I was yelling at my dog, and the rest of the animals and Mark,” she said. “I knew that Mark was right behind me. We were able to really get out of our bedroom via a back door that we have. If it hadn’t been for that door, he and I wouldn’t have been able to get out.”

The couple was alerted to the fire by the sound of ammunition, as their fire alarms didn’t go off. Their home is considered a total loss.

They said they’re thankful to be alive and appreciate the support they’ve gotten. The couple has a GoFundMe set up to go toward recovery efforts.