A house fire in Lee took place on Tuesday, Jan. 5, and the damage has caused the homeowner financial loss.
Around 12 p.m., the Lee Volunteer Fire Department was called to the home on SE Farm St. to put out the fire that was burning on the plywood siding of the house.
“I woke up to my mom saying ‘there’s a fire,’” said homeowner, Carrie Hays. “By the time I got into the dining room, the front door was covered in smoke.”
Although everything within the house was untouched by the flames, the home took extensive cosmetic damage and the plywood on the side of the home was completely scorched. The porch, deck and front door were also lost in the fire.
The damage to their home now poses a problem for Hays and her family. Living with her is her mother, Marjorie Stark and Hays’ five-year-old granddaughter, Alycia.
Hays and her mother are both disabled and living on social security checks and their home does not have homeowner’s insurance.
Not many are prepared for the cost of repairing a home when it meets tragedy. While Hays and her family were lucky to have the inside of their home untouched, there is still much damage on the outside that will cost them extensively.
For now, the family is using a piece of wood as a door; a temporary fix that will not do well in holding up against the weather.
Hays says that they are currently accepting donations to repair their home. “We need everything we can get,” said Hays.
Donations of building supplies, money or even time to help with the repairs that need to be done all are greatly appreciated by the family.
If anyone is interested in donating to the family, they can contact Hays at (850) 971-2772.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined, although a discarded cigarette might have been to blame. Neither Lee Volunteer Fire Department nor Madison County Fire Rescue have issued a statement with their suspected cause of the fire.