Family displaced following blaze at mobile home

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Tears streamed down Tabatha Anumene's face as she watched firefighters toss her charred possessions in the front yard.

"It feels horrible. My kids don't have a place to stay," said Anumene.

Her children are 1 and 8 years old.

She said she saw the smoke as she and her friends were driving by on Helen McBrayer Road but didn't realize at first it was coming from her house.

"It was my trailer. Out of all the trailers, it was my trailer," said Anumene.

Ironically, she left home this morning looking for a new place to live.

The fire marshal said tree trimmers working beside her home cut a tree that fell on the power lines.

He said that created a surge in her stove, which she had left on to cook something while she was away.

"When we first got here, there was fire in the kitchen area coming towards the door," said Lt. Michael Owens.

"Trying to save what we can for the family so they will have something," said Owens.

They were able to salvage all the Christmas presents, but the tree was destroyed.

The Red Cross will provide a place for the family to stay for the next few days.

Then the family will have to find a new home.

WSOC