TUPELO – A cooking accident led to a fire that injured a firefighter and destroyed a home Thursday morning in east Tupelo, according to Tupelo fire officials.

The home at 2159 Elvis Presley Drive was owned Patsy Tucker. Tucker’s daughter, Janessa Faulkner, was home when the fire started, but got out without injury. She was taken to the North Mississippi Medical Center and treated for smoke inhalation and released.

A Tupelo firefighter suffered second-degree burns to his ear and face when he went into the home and the fire blazed around his head, melting some of his protective helmet.

He was taken to the NMMC treated and released.

Cross said the fire started in the kitchen and spread to other areas of the home, resulting in a total loss. Tucker, who works at Tupelo Medical Group, is receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

Firemen were on the scene less than five minutes after the fire started and had it extinguished within 20 minutes. But it was fast enough to keep the house from being destroyed.

Brenda Tallant, who lives next door to Tucker, was one of the first people on the scene when the fire started. She wrapped a blanket around Faulkner as she sat in between the two houses shocked from the fiery scene in front of her.

Even though her home was not the one burned, Tallant said the neighborhood was in shock.

“We can’t believe it happened this close to home,” said Tallant. “I saw the smoke and went out to see what was going on. We are all in shock over this. Patsy is still in shock and it’s just hard to think about. I’m glad no one was injured.”

Contact Danza Johnson at (662) 678-1583 or danza.johnson@djournal.com.