DORCAS — A family of five was left homeless early Wednesday after a fire destroyed their mobile home on Spruce Lane.
Tammy and Ritchie Golden were living there with their two adult daughters — one pregnant and the other a paraplegic — and their 10-year-old granddaughter.
Their disabled daughter, 30-year-old April Hutchinson, smelled smoke about 4:20 a.m. and yelled for her parents.
“She just came up here to live with me two weeks ago,” Tammy said. “God sent her for a reason. Thank God she was awake.”
Ritchie tried to put out the fire while Tammy woke up the other family members. When his attempts failed, Tammy scooped up April and carried her out of the burning house.
“She only weighs 90 pounds,” Tammy said. “I don’t care how much she weighs. I would have picked her up and toted her out.”
The family heard the smoke alarm go off after they were outside.
“We had it plenty loud enough but it didn’t go off soon enough,” Tammy said.
No one was injured.
Family members were left with only the clothes they were wearing. Everything else was destroyed.
They are staying at the Hampton Inn where Tammy works.
“A lot of years went up in that house,” she said.
The Dorcas Volunteer Fire Department has agreed to serve as a collection point for the family, which is in need of clothing and adult diapers for April
Fire Chief John Polinsky said an electrical problem sparked the fire and that the home was gone in a matter of moments.
“They got out in the nick of time,” he said. “It doesn’t take much for it to be hot enough to go.”
HOW TO HELP: Drop off donations of adult diapers and clothing, including maternity wear, at the Dorcas Volunteer Fire Department at 4418 Poverty Creek Road. Items can be left at the side door, which is guarded by a security camera. For more information on how to help, call 682-7940.
Contact Daily News Assignment Editor Wendy Victora at 850-315-4478 or wvictora@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @WendyVnwfdn.
