Around 12:30 am on Thursday, February 15, 2024, the Jonesboro Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire on the 500 block of Fourth Street. Homeowner, Susie (Halbrook) Lowery, was found deceased in a bedroom in what is believed to be the result of smoke inhalation. 

According to authorities, after an investigation took place, officials determined that the fire began in the attic area of the home and apparently remained undetected for a long period of time. The cause of the fire remains undetermined with the inability to rule out electrical malfunction. 

This was a unique tragedy in that the fire is believed to have started above the living area of this home and stayed undetected for quite some time due to its location. Even then, a smoke alarm inside of the home can alert occupants to a fire emergency anywhere, even outside of the home, because smoke spreads quickly and far. What most people don’t realize is that it’s not the flames they should fear; it’s the smoke. Smoke alarms provide critically fast warnings to escape those deadly clouds of poisonous gases. – State Fire Marshal Chief, Bryan J. Adams