Family of eight loses home to fire
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 23, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Caroline Reynolds looks into her sons' bedroom in disbelief Wednesday while looking through the rubble to find anything salvageable. It is thought that the fire, which ruined the home and most of her family's belongings, started in the bedroom pictured and spread through the walls and ceiling to other areas of the house.
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Nathan Trent checks the damage on shirts he was given on Father's Day, the day of the fire, after digging them out from a pile of ash.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Nathan Trent watches as Caroline Reynolds cleans the ashes out of a bird bath that she received for Mother's Day as they attempt to salvage anything not destroyed by the fire. Shortly after, the cement statue cracked in half because the extreme heat from the fire weakened it.
PIKEVILLE -- In the midst of charred ruins that was all that was left of her family's home and possessions, Caroline Reynolds found a cross that had been untouched.
"It means that God was there with us and watching over everybody," the 34-year-old said.
The cross survived a fire that destroyed the home in Pikeville early Sunday afternoon where Ms. Reynolds, her boyfriend, Nathan Trent, and their six children lived.
"Despite losing all the stuff that we lost, we still have each other," she said. "It's not about the material stuff. I'm thankful everybody is all right. I keep thinking that if this had happened at night when we were sleeping, it could have been really bad."
Despite her positive attitude, Ms. Reynolds can't help but cry when she thinks of her children losing their toys and clothes and all the mementos of her children's childhood -- mementos she'll never be able to replace.
Ms. Reynolds and one of her daughters were visiting Ms. Reynold's mother, planning the Father's Day dinner that her whole family would attend later that day, when she found out about the fire.
Nathan, 34, texted her and told her to call him because their home was on fire.
"He said he was just sitting there when he heard noises like somebody breaking in," Ms. Reynolds said. "He looked out the front door and saw flames coming out of the boys' room. He said he got one of our cats out of the house and went back in a second time to get the other one, but shattering glass scared it, and it went under the bed," Ms. Reynolds said.
Ms. Reynolds jumped into her car and drove back to Pikeville, only to find the road blocked by firetrucks and EMS vehicles.
"I drove around the firetrucks," she said. "I was like that's my house on fire; you're not going to stop me."
Ms. Reynolds ran to the back door crying, but was stopped by the firemen.
"I told them there was a kitten still in there and the fireman ran into the house and brought the kitten out soaking wet," she said. "She was disoriented."
The family did lose a pet snake and a turtle. But the dog and both cats survived, although the one kitten is still sneezing black smoke and is being treated by a local vet for burns.
"I saw a video of the house fully engulfed in flames, and it's crazy to see your house burning," Ms. Reynolds said. "I felt overwhelmed. I was in shock and disbelief."
When it was all over, all but one of the six children had nothing left but the clothes they were wearing. Her youngest daughter, Cayla, had the least damage to her room.
"Everything in her closet was melted and messed up," Ms. Reynolds said. "We got some clothes out, but everything still smells really strong like smoke. I've washed and washed the clothes, but they still smell like smoke."
Ms. Reynolds had just one uniform for job at K&W Cafeteria and it was gone, too.
"I actually called my boss while the fire was going on and told him I didn't know if I was going to be able to make it to work Monday because my uniform was in my house and my house was on fire," she said. "He said don't worry about the uniform, they'd get me another one, just take care of what was going on. They were very understanding."
The American Red Cross' disaster team responded to the fire and gave the family two gift cards totaling $1,420 to use for immediate needs, said Kathy Jones, disaster response specialist with the Eastern North Carolina Region.
The family also received hygiene kits and stuffed Mickey Mouse characters.
"We gave them the Mickeys just to make them feel better," Ms. Jones said. "They've lost everything."
In the coming days, the Red Cross also will be helping the family replace medications it lost in the fire, and will give the family referrals to the Salvation Army for clothing and Catholic Charities and United Church Ministries for other assistance.
And the Red Cross has just implemented a spiritual care program using volunteer chaplains who will talk with the family
"You just don't realize what all the Red Cross does for people until something happens to you," Ms. Reynolds said. "I lost everything and they were there to help out at the fire."
Until the family can find another place live, Ms. Reynolds, her boyfriend and their children are staying with various relatives. Ms. Reynolds continues to work at K&W, while Trent has his own lawn care business.
"Right now my focus is on trying to find a reasonably priced home in the Aycock/Norwayne/Northeast school area where the children go to school," she said.
When they find a new home, Ms. Reynolds will probably find a special place to hang some of her children's artwork that she took from the burned out home.
"I always save the kids' artwork," she said. "Everything is sentimental to me. We found some of the kids' artwork, but it was all black and burned around the edges and was soaking wet. I was like I can save it."