COPPERAS COVE, Texas (KXXV) — On the night of January 3rd, a fire broke out at the Winters family home on 1001 South 27th Street in Copperas Cove. Bradley Winters, who had just returned from a trucking job, was relaxing after work when he noticed a "rotten egg" smell.
As he searched for the source, he discovered a surge protector on fire. Attempting to extinguish it, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing the family home of over 40 years along with their possessions. Bradley narrowly escaped, but the loss has left the family devastated.
Brian Winters, Bradley's brother, recounted the events of that fateful night.
"He started to smell smoke, like the rotten egg kind of smell, and he was walking around the house looking," Brian said. "He found where it was coming from because the surge protector was on fire. He didn’t know what to do, so he started to try and slap the fire out with something, and it caught the blanket, and after that blanket caught on fire, it just went up in heat."
Their mother, Phyllis Winters, who had been staying with Brian in Liberty Hill due to her health concerns, was initially in disbelief.
"Brian came in and told me the house was on fire, and I didn’t believe it. I can’t believe it. I went and saw it and can’t believe it, still."
Despite the outpouring of support from their community, including a Kempner resident who opened her home to the Winters family, Brian expressed the grim reality they face. "Empty. Not very good. We don’t have a clue where to start," he said.
Bradley Winters has not visited the scene yet, finding it too painful to see the damage in person. He did speak with Red Cross officials who labeled the property a total loss.
The resilience and kindness of the community have provided some solace, but the Winters family is still grappling with their uncertain future. To support the Winters family and help them rebuild, please consider donating here.
