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Carla Walker's home was heavily damaged by fire.
A house fire has displaced a family of four in Barnwell.
Carla Walker was about to start cooking inside her Mallard Drive home on Sunday, Jan. 7 around 11:30 a.m. when an electrical socket blew. She tried to flip the breaker and then heard a noise in the attic before seeing smoke.
“It appears to be an electrical wiring issue. There was a wire shorting in the attic which caused the fire in the attic,” said Barnwell City Fire Chief Phillip Delk.
Firefighters with the Barnwell Fire Department had to pull down the ceiling in the living room to extinguish the fire, which got in the insulation, said the chief. They remained on scene for a couple of hours.
“The home is not inhabitable right now, but it’s not a total loss,” said Chief Delk.
The family of two adults and two children were not harmed by the fire. The pets also made it out safely, said the chief.
“I’m going to maintain a positive attitude because that will lead to a positive outcome,” said Walker, who is grateful her family wasn’t harmed.
The family is currently staying in temporary housing as they navigate their next steps. The Red Cross is also assisting.
“Everything is still up in the air,” said Walker. “We are seeing what we can salvage.”
The family welcomes any donations, including foldout beds for the children. Clothing sizes are: Small/medium shirts, 7 women’s shoes for Carla; 12 men’s shoes, 36/34 pants, XL shirts for her husband; 10-12 clothes and 3.5/4 shoes for her 9-year-old daughter; men’s medium shirts, 34/36 pants, and 12/12.5 shoes for her 15-year-old son.
Donations can be made on CashApp via $cswj83. Donations can also be taken to Sport’s Convenience Store in Barnwell where Carla’s mother Marie works.
