A resident of Whirlwind Road escaped her burning home early Sunday after being awakened by a smoke detector and fleeing before the two-story residence was destroyed.

Melissa Smith, of 2029 Whirlwind Road, told officers that she heard the smoke detector alarm about 2 a.m. and smelled smoke.

Smith fled the house through a rear door after having gone toward the kitchen and finding heavy smoke, according to a report filed by Deputy Erick Gordon.

Regie Jones, chief of the DeBusk Volunteer Fire Department, said his department and units of the Sunnyside VFD were dispatched to the fire shortly after 2 a.m. and were at the scene until about 7 a.m. Sunday.

Some 26 firefighters and four fire engines took part in fighting the fire that destroyed the two-story house.

Jones said firefighters initially entered the burning house and attempted to extinguish the blaze in the kitchen area, but were driven back by heavy flames.

After fighting the fire from outside the house, Jones said, firefighters were able to enter the house and finish extinguishing the blaze.

Jones said firefighters used about 10,000 gallons of water in extinguishing the fire. He said the water had to be hauled to the scene in tanker trucks from the nearest fire hydrant, which was located on Sunrise Drive.

He said the house was a "total loss" despite firefighters' efforts. No injuries were reported.

Jones noted that, in addition to the two fire departments and the sheriff's department, a Greeneville Light & Power System crew, a Greene County-Greeneville Emergency Medical Services ambulance and a disaster services unit from the Greene County Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to the fire.

Jones said the house that burned on Sunday was located directly across Whirlwind Road from another house that burned last year.