Blaze consumes SH 19 house

Hopkins County family fled their State Highway 19 north residence, which caught fire early Saturday morning. The parents and children made it out of the wood frame house without injury, but most of their home was destroyed in the blaze, which preliminary investigation indicates was likely electrical in nature. Dike, Sulphur Bluff, Cumby, Brinker, North Hopkins, Hopkins County, Tira and Peerless firefighters and deputies were dispatched at 1:28 a.m. Saturday to the State Highway 19 north property, where a barn was reported to be fully engulfed in flames and a residence to be partially on fire. When Hopkins County firefighters arrived and ascertained the residents were out, firefighters began an interior attack on the fire. After they got the bulk of the blaze knocked down, it flared back up again, causing firefighters to back out and continue a defensive fire-fight from the exterior. The resident said they were inside the older style wood frame house just north of FM 1537, which they’d been moving into since Thanksgiving, she was up cooking in readiness for a late Christmas celebration at her daughter’s home later Saturday. She heard what sounded like a breaker pop and one of her sons went outside to check on it. As the son got outside, someone pulled into their driveway in a vehicle to tell them to get out, that their barn and part of their house was on fire. They got out, according to fire reports. The barn is a large metal structure used for storage as well as an office, located about 5 feet from the house. The blaze had continued to burn, catching the back part of the house on fire and spreading to the kitchen. Despite firefighters’ efforts, most of the house was damaged, with heat and smoke damage throughout in addition to the charred portions. According to the county fire marshal, who examine the structure later Saturday, the fire likely was electrical in nature. The family reported having to reset the breakers previously, likely due to overloaded wiring. The Hopkins County chapter of the American Red Cross responded. They helped the family secure temporary lodging at a local motel, as well as funding to obtain basic necessities, and a local restaurant was helping provide meals.