| Child dies
in car fire after mother leaves to answer phone
By CHRIS TUCKER
Ashland City
Times
ASHLAND CITY — An 18-month-old died in a Cheatham County
car fire yesterday afternoon outside the family's home just off
River Road, not far from the Davidson County line.
Cheatham County sheriff's investigator Floyd Duncan said the
mother of the child left the car parked by the house to answer the
telephone. She carried one child with her but left the other in the
car. While talking on the phone, the mother heard a pop and
discovered the vehicle was on fire. Duncan said the woman reported
she had experienced problems with the car. Names of the victim and
the family were not immediately released by officials.
Chris Toler, chief of the Two Rivers Fire Department, said the
blaze was under investigation but was thought to be accidental.
''With me having three children myself, it's pretty hard. It's
hard for me even to talk to you about it,'' Toler said. ''I never
want to go through this again, but I'm sure I will in the line of
duty.''
The fire occurred at a residence at the end of Lost Hollow Lane.
The home was set back 600 feet in a forested area. Firefighters were
able to send up only one truck at a time down the single-lane
driveway. They ran 600 feet of fire hose from a fire truck parked at
the end of the driveway.
Ashland City Fire Chief Chuck Walker said the vehicle was parked
just outside the family's home and was fully engulfed in flames that
also caused minor damage to the side of the house.
Fire crews from Two Rivers, Ashland City and Pegram were sent to
the scene.
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