MARLIN, Texas — 'I have nothing' Electrical fire displaces Marlin Family, two dogs lost in blaze
- A fire destroyed a Marlin home, killing two pets and displacing the family.
- The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical short inside a camper.
- The community has shown strong support for the family, offering help and donations.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“ I wanted to cry because I knew that’s all I had, and now I have nothing,” said Marlin resident Vanessa Coleman.
That’s what remains of this Marlin home after it was destroyed by fire Friday afternoon.
“ I ran up here and started screaming for my mom and dad , I saw the house and just broke down and cried,” said Coleman.
25 news spoke to Vanessa Coleman, who lived in the home with her family and several of their pets.
Two of the pets lost their lives inside the fire.
“ It was bad. It was all in flames and there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t even go near it. If I would’ve gotten any closer I could have got caught in it too,” said Coleman.
Investigators tell 25 news the fire was likely caused by an electrical short inside of this camper.
It's something we see around this time far too often.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association,fires peak during the winter months, with nearly half of all U.S. home heating equipment fires occurring between December and February.
Tips to avoid these type of electrical fires include:
- Only use one heat-producing appliance plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time.
- Checking electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets.
- Ensure that extension cords are only used temporarily.
As for the Colemans, they tell me the hardest part of it all;
“Losing my dog, and everything I have with it,” said Coleman.
AND returning to an unrecognizable HOME.
“ Very devastating, there’s nothing we can do,” said Coleman.
But thankful for a community that's had an outpouring of support.
“ We have people from Waco helping, people from Marlin helping, people that we don’t even know are helping. We are just thankful that they are,” said Coleman.
According to Marlin Fire Chief Justin Parker, the fire is still under investigation.
If you’d like to help the family you can support their GoFundme me or contact Vanessa Coleman here.
