The Tuesday fire that ravaged a Highwoods Development home has left one family displaced, after it burned through the upper level of the split-entry home.
Resident Bridget Burton, who lives in the home with her husband, Ryan, and sons Jamie and Bryce, along with her mother, Char Parsons, said the upper level suffered extensive damage.
“We’re not sure how it started,” she said. “Everyone got out safe. [Char] was home with the boys at the time. Paul [Gonsior, a member of the Albertville Fire Department] ran in and out and got our car seat for Bryce and medications. Our cat was trapped and was rescued. Everything upstairs was destroyed. It’s gone.”
The fire remains under investigation, but all involved said the most important factor was everyone was O.K. after a close call.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood and family members of the Burtons are setting up an account to help the family recover some of the items it lost, and to help with recovery expenses. While insurance will help, it won’t cover everything.
More information on how to help can be found here, via a GoFundMe page.