Neighbors say three boys lost their mother in the blaze that destroyed their Stewart Co. home even though the oldest tried desperately to save her.

"He was covered in ash from trying to go back in from getting his mom," said Argylene Darnell, who lives next door to the home on 3000 block of Highway 46 in Indian Mound.

Darnell said just after 6:00 a.m. Thursday, she was shocked out of quiet Thanksgiving morning by a frightening sound.

"One of the little boys come over and was banging on the door and they hollered that the house was on fire," Darnell said.

She and her husband rushed outside and saw flames and smoke rising from their neighbor's house.

Three boys ages 12, 14 and 17 and one adult escaped the flames but two others weren't so lucky.

"The oldest boy, he was 17 he kept trying to go in and get his mom," Darnell said.  "My husband tried too and it was so fully engulfed that you couldn't get in."

Firefighters arrived within minutes and were able to put out the flames but they weren't able to save the two people that were trapped inside.

The survivors were taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries but Darnell said the three boys that used to play with their dogs and throw footballs in their yard now have to grow up much too soon.

"I know that the boys are just having a very hard time and I imagine for years to come they're going to have a very hard time," Darnell said.  "They were just really gentle boys, I mean for boys they were just really great and I hate to see this happen to them."

Fire officials believe the fire started in one of the bedrooms but the cause is still under investigation.
Three Boys Lose Mother in Thanksgiving Day Fire - Eric Alvarez