A man from Ringgold County escaped a house fire last week. The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Department reports several area fire departments responded to the fire at 303 West VanBuren Street, in Mount Ayr, at around 2:20-p.m., Thursday. The home’s occupant, 31-year-old Cody Atkins, awoke to find his house full of smoke. He was able to safely leave, and was provided with assistance from a passing motorist until emergency personnel arrived on the scene. The cause of the blaze was undetermined.

Agencies at the scene included the Ringgold County Sheriffs Office, Mount Ayr, Diagonal and Kellerton Fire Departments, and Ringgold County Ambulance.