MITCHELL - FEBRUARY 4, 2024 - The family of Eric Strange including his wife and two children was able to escape a mobile home fire earlier Sunday morning.
Photo: Firefighters from Marion Township VFD, Mitchell City Volunteer , and Shawswick Township VFD responded to a mobile home fire early Sunday morning
" My wife woke me up this morning and said honey, I think the house is on fire. We opened up the bedroom door to find, the hallway filled with smoke and fire. The next thing we did was get the kids out of the home, and we was able to escape out of the back door." said Eric Strange.
Photo: After being on the scene more than one hour firefighters take a break
The kids were wrapped in blankets as they watched the firefighters work fighting the fire. Neighbors and friends tending to the family making sure the kids were kept warm in a nearby vehicle.
Firefighters from Marion Township, City of Mitchell, Shawswick Township, IU Lifeline Ambulance and Lawrence County Sheriff's Department was called to the fire at 8:13 am.
" We found the mobile about half to three quarters fully involved. Of course the single wide, mobile home already had heat built up. The family being able to escape at the rear of the home and we do not believe the home had any smoke detectors at the time of the fire, said Paul Gillespie Fire Chief Marion Township Volunteer Fire Department.
The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the family for their immediate needs as they are now homeless.
The Strange's were renting for almost three years at the location, with a total of four children staying off and on at the home.
" We are just glad our children are safe and the rest of this can be replaced. We know this was not much , but this was home to us," said the couple.
The home was being heated with a space heater and the furnace did not work at all this winter, who the Strange's said they could not get the landlord to fix.
Fire officials said the main body of fire was located front and middle of the home however the cause of fire has not been determined.
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