A family loses their home and four pets in a devastating fire in Baldwin County, leaving a neighborhood in shock and rallying to support them before the holidays.
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. — A family lost their home and four beloved pets in an early morning fire in Baldwin County on Thursday, leaving neighbors heartbroken and searching for ways to help just weeks before Christmas.
The Baldwin County Fire Department responded to the devastating blaze around 4:30 a.m. on Cape Harbor Drive near Lake Sinclair.
Fire officials believe the fire started in the back of the home and quickly engulfed the building.
Pattie Alliston, who lives across the street from the destroyed home, said she received a call around 6:30 a.m. alerting her to the fire.
“I got a call around 6:30 Thursday morning that their neighbor’s home was on fire,” Alliston said. “It’s broke my heart and all I could do was pray for them.”
The home is considered a total loss. In addition to the structure, the family lost four pets, and two cars were damaged by the fire.
Alliston said the family had been her good friends and neighbors for years. She said they are kind people who had invested lots of care and time into their property.
“He’s been working on his house for a long time. He’s made that house beautiful and the yard and I hate this for them,” Alliston said. “I’m keeping them in my prayers.”
Alliston said the family loved their home and were often seen walking their dogs through the neighborhood. Alliston also fondly remembered the family’s cooking.
“They make great collard greens,” she said. “They’re great neighbors. They’re just so sweet and helpful and we just love them to death, they are good friends.”
Learning about the fire came as a shock to Alliston and other neighbors who knew the family well.
Crews, including 23 firefighters from Baldwin County, Putnam County Fire, EMS and law enforcement responded to the scene.
Baldwin County Fire Chief Bradley Towe said crews faced intense flames when they arrived.
“It was a defensive fire attack because it was heavily involved at that time, so we made the defensive fire attack,” Towe said. “We were finally able to bring the fire under control in about one hour. It was a lot of fire.”
Firefighters remained at the scene through the morning to extinguish hot spots and ensure the fire did not reignite.
Emotion overwhelmed Alliston as she thought about her friends being displaced from their home just before the holidays. She has offered her own home to the family and is eager to help in any way possible.
“Anything that the community is going to do for them please let me know,” she said.
The family affected by the fire declined to speak with reporters and asked not to be identified.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Chief Towe said officials do not yet know what started the fire.
