Fire leaves family homeless for holidays

Precious Bledsoe was walking home from Theron Jones Elementary School on Monday with her 8-year-old son and her boyfriend when they saw smoke and fire trucks.

Bledsoe knew it was the house they had rented since July that was on fire when the family dog came running up to them.

"We had gone to get him (Bledsoe's son) at school. We were walking back and saw the fire and knew it was our house because our dog came running down the street and he always stays in the yard. He came right to my boyfriend," Bledsoe said.

Fire destroyed the home on West 16th Street early Monday, leaving the family homeless just a week before Christmas.

No one was home when the fire broke out about 9 a.m., but the home was a total loss.

A neighbor had called 911 after seeing flames, said Texarkana, Texas, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Black.

"I am just overwhelmed right now," Bledsoe said. Bledsoe is the mother of four children. An 8-year-old boy and three girls ages 4, 3 and 1.

"It hurt me for my son to see the fire. He loved his room and his bean bag and everything else. It's hard for me to explain to him," she said.

The loss of Christmas presents is also a major blow to the family.

"We had spent our last dollar on clothes and toys for the kids," Bledsoe said.

She works at McDonald's and her boyfriend does seasonal work.

"We have really been struggling. We signed the kids up for Angel Tree and Toys for Tots, but you have to have their birth certificate to pick it up," she said.

Bledsoe's children were with grandparents late Monday. She and her boyfriend have a Red Cross voucher to stay at a motel. But it's the days ahead that worry her.

"I'm just going to try and give it to God" she said.

TTFD is investigating the fire.

Black said investigators believe it started in the back of the house.

He cautions people to be careful with space heaters this time of year and to never use extension cords with space heaters.

Anyone interested in helping Bledsoe replace Christmas gifts for her children can call 903-556-8972.

Upcoming Events