MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — After having escaped Hurricane Katrina in her home state of Louisiana and now experiencing two house fires, Stacey Nichols is no stranger to tragedy.
A fire, which is now being investigated by State Fire Marshals, broke out at a townhome at Ashton Estates on Monday. Resident Stacey Nichols said that she was the first to call 911 after her son’s father first saw the smoke.
“My son’s father was actually here to pick him up, and I was outside across the street here in this parking area talking to his dad for a while and then he pointed out smoke coming from behind the townhouses. So, I ran inside and ran out to the back and that’s where I had seen the fire.”
After seeing the fire for herself, Nichols said she had attempted to save some belongings before she knew that it was too late. Community members of Ashton Estates rushed to warn others of the fire that spread to destroy four townhomes. One dog also died as a result of the fire.
Nichols said that only two years prior, on Easter Day, her home back in Clarksburg had also caught fire. The overall structure damage was so severe that Fire Marshals were never able to determine a cause from that fire. And just as hauntingly, the house fire Nichols’ experienced in Clarksburg also took out three surrounding homes.
“It just seems like every few years the universe sees fit to take it all from under my feet,” said Nichols. Despite this, she said that she remains hopeful thanks to the support of her community.
Nichols said the greatest relief after Monday’s fire was her car starting, which sat in front of her home during the fire.