Fire Destroys Home Of Elderly Wake Forest Couple

Fire crews from Wake Forest and Rolesville responded to the fire off of Main Street, near the school, at about 10 p.m.

The house belongs to John Lockwood and his wife, a disabled elderly couple, who firefighters had to help get out of the house. Lockwood's wife was taken to Duke Health Raleigh Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

Lockwood said he believed the fire began in the bedroom, where he and his wife were. He activated their emergency response service, Life Alert, and called 911.

Lockwood's daughter, Janet Blackburn, told WRAL that she had just moved her parents to Wake Forest from Wisconsin to give them a better life.

Blackburn also told WRAL that she felt it took firefighters too long to respond to the call. Investigators are checking to see when emergency calls to 911 and Life Alert were received and what may have caused a delay, if anything.