Emerald G. Parsons, Greene Publishing, Inc.
A house fire claimed the life of one child and sent the other four family members to the hospital.
On Wednesday night, Nov. 9, at 9:55 p.m. a house fire was called in. The house, located at 342 SE Campbell Sink Trail, in Lee, was already fully engulfed and was called in by a neighbor. As the call went out to fire departments all over the county, it was believed that members of the family were still inside the burning house.
When Madison County Sheriff’s deputies and Madison Fire Rescue arrived on scene they began helping the residents, Anthony and Jennifer Richardson and their three children, escape. Even with all the vigorous effort from all departments, a two-year old child was pronounced dead at the scene. Anthony was airlifted to Shands Hospital of Gainesville, Jennifer and two other children were transported by ambulance to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, with Jennifer later being airlifted to Shands Hospital of Gainesville.
Responding to the fire was the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County EMS, Madison Fire Rescue, Pinetta Volunteer Fire Department, Hamburg-Lovett Volunteer Fire Department, New Home Volunteer Fire Department, and Greenville Volunteer Fire Department. The scene was finally cleared at 2 a.m., Thursday morning.
The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by the State Fire Marshall’s office.
Donations are needed for the family: Men’s size 34 pants and large shirts; Women’s size 6 pants and small shirts; Girl size 10 pants and medium shirts; and Boy size 8 pants and small to medium shirts. Donations may be dropped off at Greene Publishing, Inc.’s newspaper building, located at 1695 S. SR 53 South, in Madison, Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. – 12 noon.