Anonymous donor helps Jackson family after fire

An anonymous donor has brought a little holiday cheer to a Jackson family after their house was ravaged by fire Saturday.

An attic fire in a home on North Bellevue Street destroyed the Jones family's Christmas presents and left the family of three adults and three children looking for a place to stay. The local chapter of the American Red Cross stepped in and put the family in a hotel for three nights, while the hotel threw in a complimentary night. The Red Cross has helped more than 15 families affected by fire in the past month, executive director Cheryl Klueppel said.

When it was uncertain where the family would go next, an anonymous donor gave the family money for two more nights at the hotel.

"It's nice to have a place to stay for a little longer," said William Cole, who lives in the home with his son, Billy Cole.

The family has a list of renters and looks to move into another house soon, Cole said, adding that until the family gets a new house, it would appreciate donations for a few more nights at a hotel.

The house's residents were about to settle in to sleep around 10:30 p.m. Saturday when Cole was outside and noticed smoke coming out from the top of the roof. Cole led the his son and the Joneses out of the house before going up to the attic to try to save the Christmas presents.

"When I got up there, I couldn't see three feet in front of me," Cole said. "I killed the breakers, and firefighters said that helped a lot."

The fire was mostly contained to the attic and there was little smoke damage to the rest of the house, Jackson Fire Department assistant chief Randy Davis said. Two bedrooms were damaged by water. Officials ruled the fire to be electrical.

Cole said he knew the home had faulty wiring.

"We had a ceiling fan that would only turn on if the attic door was shut," Cole said, noting that there were problems with the plumbing as well.

The home incurred roughly $10,000 worth of damage, Davis said. The home is owned by Shawn Stockard, Cole said.

Cole said the family is grateful for the Red Cross and others who have helped the family since the fire. A fund has been set up for the family in the name of Gerald Jones, one of the fire victims, at Montgomery Bank branches in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

psullivan@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

North Bellevue Street, Jackson, Mo.