Fire destroys Loudon County
church building, family's apartment
HAYLEY HARMON-6 News Anchor/Reporter
LOUDON
(WATE) -
A Loudon
County family with five children is looking for a new place to live
after an overnight fire destroys their apartment.
Angel Boston and her family lived in the apartment located above the Word of Faith Family Worship Center church on Mulberry Street in Loudon.
The fire began just after midnight.
Fire crews were back on the scene Saturday afternoon, continuing to try to determine what started the blaze.
Boston tells 6 News she still can’t believe it’s all gone. "Just really a lot of smoke. A lot of smoke,” said Boston.
It all started when Boston’s boyfriend smelled smoke. "He was like 'I smell something.' Then when he said that, I started smelling it,” said Boston, mother to five children, ages 8 to 15.
They went into the kitchen to find the room filled with it, and flames shooting out from around the stove. "There was nothing but smoke everywhere. I couldn't see anything at all,” said Boston.
After trying to put it out with a fire extinguisher, she got her children and got the whole family outside. "We put it out. At least we thought we did anyway,” said Boston.
But fire crews say the flames had already spread into the attic. In a matter of minutes, the fire overtook the second floor apartment. It took firefighters nearly three hours to get the fire out.
The building, including the church below, is a total loss.
No one was injured.
But the Bostons made it out with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. "I lost everything. Everything. Pictures. Social security cards. Everything. Everything my kids ever had,” said Boston. "I have two kids who weren't even here and they have to come home to no home. I don't know what to do."
They’re thankful to be alive but don’t know where they’re going to go from here. "That's all that matters. Everything in that house can be replaced but my children couldn't,” said Boston. "There's nothing I can do but take it day by day." Boston says she’s spoken to the pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Center, who called to make sure her family was alright.
6 News reached out to Bishop Drinnon, pastor of the church, to find out their plans following the fire. "We are still trying to determine our coarse of action for tomorrow's service. We are all in shock at this point," Bishop Drinnon said.
Drinnon said their ministry at the church has been going on since 1997, and this won't shake the fabric of the church. "We will continue to fulfill our God ordained commissioned to care for the hurting, the hopeless, the unloved, the unwanted, and the downtrodden to the best of our ability," Drinnon said in a statement to 6 News.
Boston and her children are currently staying with relatives.
She says the many people in the Loudon community have already reached out to her family, offering to help them in any way that they can.
If you’re interested in donating any items to help the family, like children’s items or clothing, contact Boston’s sister Midge Tracy at 865-243-6830.
If you're interested in donating to the church you can go their website at http://www.miracleministries.net/.
LOUDON
(WATE) -
A Loudon
County family with five children is looking for a new place to live
after an overnight fire destroys their apartment.Angel Boston and her family lived in the apartment located above the Word of Faith Family Worship Center church on Mulberry Street in Loudon.
The fire began just after midnight.
Fire crews were back on the scene Saturday afternoon, continuing to try to determine what started the blaze.
Boston tells 6 News she still can’t believe it’s all gone. "Just really a lot of smoke. A lot of smoke,” said Boston.
It all started when Boston’s boyfriend smelled smoke. "He was like 'I smell something.' Then when he said that, I started smelling it,” said Boston, mother to five children, ages 8 to 15.
They went into the kitchen to find the room filled with it, and flames shooting out from around the stove. "There was nothing but smoke everywhere. I couldn't see anything at all,” said Boston.
After trying to put it out with a fire extinguisher, she got her children and got the whole family outside. "We put it out. At least we thought we did anyway,” said Boston.
But fire crews say the flames had already spread into the attic. In a matter of minutes, the fire overtook the second floor apartment. It took firefighters nearly three hours to get the fire out.
The building, including the church below, is a total loss.
No one was injured.
But the Bostons made it out with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. "I lost everything. Everything. Pictures. Social security cards. Everything. Everything my kids ever had,” said Boston. "I have two kids who weren't even here and they have to come home to no home. I don't know what to do."
They’re thankful to be alive but don’t know where they’re going to go from here. "That's all that matters. Everything in that house can be replaced but my children couldn't,” said Boston. "There's nothing I can do but take it day by day." Boston says she’s spoken to the pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Center, who called to make sure her family was alright.
6 News reached out to Bishop Drinnon, pastor of the church, to find out their plans following the fire. "We are still trying to determine our coarse of action for tomorrow's service. We are all in shock at this point," Bishop Drinnon said.
Drinnon said their ministry at the church has been going on since 1997, and this won't shake the fabric of the church. "We will continue to fulfill our God ordained commissioned to care for the hurting, the hopeless, the unloved, the unwanted, and the downtrodden to the best of our ability," Drinnon said in a statement to 6 News.
Boston and her children are currently staying with relatives.
She says the many people in the Loudon community have already reached out to her family, offering to help them in any way that they can.
If you’re interested in donating any items to help the family, like children’s items or clothing, contact Boston’s sister Midge Tracy at 865-243-6830.
If you're interested in donating to the church you can go their website at http://www.miracleministries.net/.