By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
This year’s Holiday Celebrations were devastated for one Tucker County Family this year when fire raised their home at 86 Center Street in Hamrick to the ground the late evening of December 29th. The family of three were able to make it out safely. It was reported the family had two dogs and three cats.
According to Parsons Fire Department Chief and Tucker County Director of Emergency Management Kevin White, the two story structure was completely engulfed in flames by the time fire crews arrived on scene.
“The structure was fully involved when we got there,” White said. “Its basically leveled. Its on the ground. There’s really nothing there.”
White said that there were trees in the area that were impacted by the fire down the road and across the street from the structure. However, due to wind direction and a vacant lot directly next door, neighboring structures were spared. White said that no neighbors have reported any damage to his knowledge.
“The wind was blowing, what I would call, South in direction and there was a vacant lot there, so that was a large factor,” White said. “That vacant lot kind of acted as a buffer.”
There was a home nearby behind the structure fire, however, White said the wind was blowing the fire in the opposite direction which allowed crews to get directly behind to keep the area wetted down to prevent spread of the fire into that area.
While efforts to suppress what remained of the fire continued until well into the night, White said there was nothing of the home left to save. According to White, the house had burnt to the ground, which made determining a cause of the blaze nearly impossible to determine.
“We spent most of the night, until 2:30 this morning just wetting it down and things like that,” White said.
Among those who responded to the fire, according to White were Leading Creek Fire Department, Thomas Fire Department, Davis Fire Department, Tucker County 911, Tucker County Emergency Management, Tucker County EMS, West Virginia State Police, Tucker County Sheriff’s Department, PVFD Ladies Auxiliary. Red Cross have been notified of the family’s need, White said.
A GoFundMe has raised over $30,000 of a $40,000 goal from 261 donations for the family of three. The fund was established to help the family rebuild their lives after the fire. The family lost everything, according the fund. To support the fund go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-stephanie-and-her-kids-after-the-fire.
