Sleeping family escapes unharmed in house fire

Like This? Click Here to Recommend View larger image This house at 247 Panther Drive in the Mountain Falls Park subdivision was heavily damaged by fire early Thursday. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image The fire at 247 Panther Drive in the Mountain Falls Park subdivision appears to have started in the attic, authorities said Thursday. Dennis Grundman/Daily

By J.R. Williams -- jrwilliams@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- A fire Thursday morning heavily damaged a Frederick County home, but the family sleeping inside at the time escaped unhurt.

Several fire and rescue crews were called about 9 a.m. to 247 Panther Drive in the Mountain Falls Park subdivision. The fire appeared to have started in the attic, causing the roof to collapse.

The two-story home was left standing, but damage inside is significant, said Justin Smith, who lives at the home with his wife, Rachel.

"We're going to have to rebuild," Smith said.

Three people were inside, he said, plus three birds, two dogs and one cat.

Everyone -- animals included -- made it out after an unknown neighbor came to the door shouting for the family to evacuate.

At first, "we thought it was a friend of ours just banging on the door," Mrs. Smith said. "All I heard was, 'your house is on fire, you need to get out.' I just said, 'Run.' Everybody made it out OK, but we lost a lot of stuff. If it's not burned up, it has water damage."

Mrs. Smith said she was able to save just a photo album, her laptop and the clothes on her back.

Neighbors driving by Thursday afternoon stopped to ask if the family needed help. The American Red Cross provided assistance with food and clothing, Smith said.

The couple said they had made arrangements with family for a place to stay.

Smith said the county fire marshal's office suggested electrical problems in the roof as a probable cause. The attic was vacant, he said.

Frederick County Assistant Fire Marshal Jeff Neal said the damage was too significant to be sure, but called the fire accidental.

"Due to the damage to the attic, we're not going to be able to pinpoint an exact cause," he said. "The roof was destroyed, and there is fire damage to the second floor, and first-floor water damage."

The home, at the corner of Panther and Gatling drives, is not immediately close to other structures. It is one of several that have burned this year in the heavily wooded subdivision.

North Mountain Fire and Rescue Company Chief Josh Taylor said when crews arrived, fire already was through the roof. Efforts to put it down took about three hours, he said, but firefighters reported no injuries.

"We had a lot of people this morning," he said. "It was a lot of overhaul."

Putting out the fire required extensive manpower. Five Frederick County fire and rescue companies responded: North Mountain, Gore, Gainesboro, Round Hill and Star Tannery. A Hampshire County, W.Va., unit assisted.