Members of an Opp family found themselves in nothing but their pajamas watching their home burn to the ground last week, and now are in need of assistance to get back on their feet.

Anita Adkinson said Tuesday that an electrical fire that broke out suddenly in her Beulah Church Road home around 11:30 p.m. Mon., Jan. 27, resulted in a total loss for the family, and has displaced nine people, including three children.

“We were sitting in the front room and the lights flickered a few times,” Adkinson said. “My husband had stepped outside because the dogs were barking. I got up to tell him and the wall was already blazing.”

Adkinson said State Trooper Tracy Morgan was in the area and quickly responded to help the family attempt to squelch the blaze, narrowly avoiding a major injury in the process.

“We yanked an air conditioning unit out of a window and had pulled a water hose inside,” Adkinson said. “Tracy was trying to help us put it out. I told him to be careful because there was a gun cabinet with ammunition inside. I guess a .22 went off and it hit him in the arm, but he wasn’t hurt. It just scared him I think.”

Despite Morgan’s efforts, Adkinson said the family was forced outside with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“It happened in a matter of just a few minutes, and all we could do was sit there and watch it burn,” she said.

Adkinson said the home belonged to her sister and brother-in-law, Sandra and William Green, and was also home to herself; her husband Royce; her 82-year-old mother, Dorothy Harrison; as well as three children ranging in age from seven to 17.

Adkinson said she is thankful for the quick response of emergency workers and for the fact that everyone escaped the blaze unharmed, but said her family has lost everything, including the family pet, a Pomeranian named Bama.

“The Red Cross gave us vouchers for food and some clothes, but we didn’t accept the voucher for lodging because we are staying with my niece,” Adkinson said, adding clothing for the children is the family’s most immediate need.

Adkinson said a fund has been established at the Wells Fargo Bank in Opp in the name of Kelly Green, and additional accounts at other Wells Fargo branches are in the works. Those who would like to donate clothing or other items to the family may do so by dropping items off at 500 Peach Ave. in Opp or calling Adkinson at 334.764.4523.

Clothing in sizes needed include: Girls size 7-8 slim pants, 7-8 shirts and size 1 shoes; girls size 10 pants, medium shirts and size 7 shoes; and boys size 30×32 pants, medium shirts and size 10 shoes.