Couple struggles to rebuild lives

A Doyline couple escaped serious injury Sunday when they woke to find their trailer home on fire. Now, the couple is struggling to rebuild their lives.

District 3 Fire Chief Roger McCray said Sammi and Edwin Luther purchased a mobile home in September and established their residence on Sturgeon Road south of Doyline. Around 1 p.m. Sunday, fire totally destroyed their home as well as their car.

According to reports, Edwin woke to find the couple’s home on fire. He woke Sammi and the two escaped through a window; however, Edwin received burns to his forehead and legs when he reentered the home in effort to save the couple’s two dogs. Unable to retrieve the animals, the dogs as well as two rabbits died in the fire.

Edwin is currently receiving treatment at the LSU Medical Sciences Center burn unit in Shreveport. Sammi was treated for smoke inhalation.

“The trailer was a total loss and the car was pretty much a total loss as well,” said Chief McCray. “Their car was sitting next to trailer and it caught on fire. We pulled it away and put it out, but the front tire had caught on fire and it was burning underneath the motor.”

The fireman said the young couple had no insurance on the mobile home.

Chief McCray said it appears the fire started in the living room area of the home. The ignition point is believed to have centered around an extension cord that was plugged into a space heater.

“They had a 150-foot extension cord running from another trailer to their trailer and it was plugged into a space heater,” said McCray.

Mobile homes are notorious for burning rapidly once they catch on fire. McCray said if a mobile home catches on fire, homeowners should keep all doors shut. This act could prevent the fire from spreading or even suffocate the fire.

“We have saved mobile homes before, but people need to know that they have to keep the doors shut,” said McCray.
West Lake Baptist Church of Doyline is trying to assist the family with rebuilding their lives. If you would like to donate to the family, you may call the church at 745-2047 or drop donations off at 2587 Hwy. 163.

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