Fire guts Chipley home update on cause

CHIPLEY – Chipley Fire and Rescue members were looking forward to enjoying the opening night of the annual Watermelon Festival, selling refreshments at the Darryl Singletary concert as a fundraiser. At about 8 p.m., however, they were reminded of why they were fundraising as the call went out for a house fire at 813 Maple Street just off South Boulevard.
Chipley Fire Chief Floyd Aycock said the cause of the fire was a five-year-old child playing with paper and the oven.
Smoke was rising over the trees in the evening sky and flames were shooting through the roof as firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control. The Nellums home was gutted by the blaze, but firefighters were able to keep the flames from nearby trees and other residences.
The fire flared up again at about 3:30 a.m. and firefighters were on scene until about 6:30 a.m., Aycock said.
Diane Nellums said three sons and her daughter were home when the fire broke out, with two sons away and her husband working out of state. The family had lived there for about four years.
The family lost everything, but Nellums took a positive perspective. “Praise the Lord they are all okay,” she said. “Thank God nobody’s hurt.”

Red Cross responds
Washington County Disaster Action Team volunteers from the Central Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross responded this morning to assist the Nellums family.  Danny and Dianne Nellums lived in the home with their six children.  The Red Cross is providing assistance with clothing and food.
The Central Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross is not a government agency and receives no government funding.  Assistance to local disaster victims is made possible by local contributions.  If you would like to help local disaster victims please call the Red Cross at 850-763-6587 or go to www.redcrosscpc.org.
More photos online at chipleypaper.com