Rankin County Woman Loses Home and Business in Battery Fire
RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) – A devastating fire, prompted by a small battery explosion, has destroyed the home and home-based business of Rankin County resident Michelle Carney.
The incident occurred early Sunday morning on Rankin Ferguson Road. Carney had been painting and preparing for bed when her cat began acting strangely. “He heard something I couldn’t hear, and he was looking toward the bedroom door and acting really weird,” Carney recounted. Moments later, a loud boom shook the house.
Upon investigating, Carney discovered a battery for a yard trimmer glowing blue with flames shooting out of it. Fire officials confirmed it was the cause of the explosion, noting she had been charging the battery in her hallway for yard work.
Carney reflected on how close she came to serious injury, stating, “If I still would have been sitting in that room, the battery would have exploded on me.”
Tragic Losses
The fire resulted in the loss of not just Carney’s business inventory, but also the life of her beloved cat. “There are a lot of memories here… My neighbor helped me bury her yesterday, and I’m still looking for the other one. I’m scared she’s in there somewhere,” she said, sharing her heartbreak.
Despite the destruction, one piece of art—a depiction of the Lord’s Supper from the ’60s or ’70s—remained untouched.
Moving Forward
Carney is currently taking it day by day in her recovery process. She expressed her feelings of being overwhelmed: “I can’t look at it directly right now… I just have to look at this one thing in front of me at a time or I won’t be able to function.”
Plans for rebuilding are in place but remain uncertain. To assist her recovery, Carney has initiated a GoFundMe campaign aimed at helping her rebuild her home and business.
For those interested in supporting Carney during this challenging time, details can be found on her GoFundMe page.
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