Disabled woman's home destroyed by fire

This Sneads residence was heavily damaged in a fire early Tuesday morning.

By By DEBORAH BUCKHALTER Floridan Staff Writer
Published: February 03, 2010

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Fire heavily damaged the home of a Sneads woman early Tuesday morning, and the Red Cross is assisting her with temporarily lodging, clothes and food.
Officials said no one was home when the mobile home at 8081 Eugenia St. when the fire was discovered shortly after 1 a.m.
The person living there was identified as Charlene Wright.
Sneads Volunteer Fire Department Chief Buddy Jeter said that while firefighters were able to save about two-thirds of the structure, it is very possible that the trailer will be declared a total loss.
Jeter said initial indications are that the fire may have started in the west end of the house, and that the main part of the fire may have been in a bedroom. The state fire marshal has been called in to conduct a routine investigation into the fire, however, and will release the official findings later.
A special account has been set up at Wachovia bank in Charlene Wright’s name for those who would like to donate cash to help her start rebuilding her life.
Wright was to stay at a hotel in Marianna Tuesday and Wednesday nights courtesy of the American Red Cross, but beyond that she said she hasn’t been able to plan.
She had lived in the trailer about nine years. Wright had taken her niece to a hospital in Blountstown Monday night and had spent several hours there before heading home around midnight. She’d been up since 7 a.m. Monday when she returned, and was looking forward to a good night’s sleep after the long stressful day and evening.
She said she pulled into her drive just around 1 a.m. Tuesday to find her trailer all but destroyed, firetrucks parked on her lawn and firefighters shooting water into the smoldering remains of her home.
By 4 p.m. Tuesday, she’d been awake for more than 34 hours and was too worried to consider lying down to sleep.
She also has her 17-year-old daughter to consider. Mother and daughter lost most of their possessions in the fire.
Wright’s own physical problems are also of great concern.
She lists scoliosis, heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure among her physical challenges, and said the wheelchair she often uses to get around was damaged in the fire.
She said she cannot work because of her disabilities, and she is hoping to get a camper or small trailer to live in soon.
Meanwhile, she said she’s looking to a higher power.
“I’m waiting for the good Lord to help me cause that’s all that’s going to help me through this,” she said.