PETERSBURG, Va. -- Just days after Christmas, a Petersburg family is without a home after an attic fire early Thursday morning.
“We lost everything, our furniture, our TV, my daughter’s clothes, the Christmas stuff,” said Tasha Browner.
Fire officials say the fire started at the home in the 100 block of Elm Street around 5 a.m. Officials say the electrical fire started in the attic due to multiple electric components plugged into one electric outlet.
“If you got two outlets you can’t use extension cords to plug in five or six things. You can’t use surge protectors that don’t have a fusible link. If you do that you overheat the power in that one socket,” said a Petersburg Fire spokesperson.
Tasha Browner
It was a simple mistake that changed the family’s life in a matter of seconds.
“It was very upsetting,” said Browner. They were crying. My baby was like ‘come on let’s go, we got to run.’ She’s nothing but four but she knows what’s going on,” said Browner.
Now their faith is the only thing holding them together, with hopes that the community will step up to help them rebuild during the season of giving.
“I’ve been through a lot this year. I lost an uncle that was very close to me, but I know God and I know that he’ll always make a way out of no way,” said Browner. “I know that I will be OK. I just thank God we made it out.”
