The Pell City Fire Department received a call at approximately 10:13 a.m. on Friday about a house fire in the Fox Hollow subdivision in Pell City.

“I’ve been doing this for over 30 years,” Pell City Fire Chief Mike Burdette said. “And every time something like this happens, I tell people, besides the loss of a loved one, this is probably one of the most traumatic things you could go through.”

Bester Coleman and his wife were at their home in Fox Hollow when he heard “crackling and a pow!” He saw smoke coming from the attic.

“I told my wife to get out, the house was on fire,” Coleman said.  “I grabbed our dog and got out. There was really no time that the fire started.” Their three-year old granddaughter who resides with them was at school at the time. All residents of the home are safe. 

A neighbor, Jaime Meads Rich, saw the smoke coming from the attic vent and called 911. She assisted the Colemans in getting a few items from the home before the roof became engulfed in flames. The roof had just been replaced last Friday and Saturday.

“I was impressed with the Chief, who walked around the home the whole time and directed the firefighters where they needed to go,” said Rich. “The firefighters went into the home and got their insulin, medications, and any pictures they could find.”

Neighbors on either side of the home also received some damage. Vinyl siding was melted and warped from the intense heat.

The Pell City Fire Department had several trucks onsite and had to deploy the ladder truck in order to put out the fire. Flames and smoke continued for over an hour and firefighters continued to douse the home with water. 

The Colemans had lived in the home since December 2016, but now will have to look to rebuild. Fortunately, they have a home in Cropwell to live in temporarily.

“When something like this happens, we offer aid through the Red Cross,” Chief Burdette said. “They help with food, clothing, shelter, because you can lose everything.”