Devastating setback: Fire guts Ocala family's home just as they were getting back on track

Andy Fillmore
·4 min read

SILVER SPRINGS SHORES — Angel (Hunter) Thomas and four of her children escaped unharmed from a devastating house fire early Sunday with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Yet Monday morning, rather than tears and frowns, the family was in good spirits and trying to remain positive.

"This is a new beginning. We can get another house and more stuff," said Thomas, as she sat hugging her five children, ages 9 to 16. (One of the kids was staying with friends Saturday night.)

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Thomas said her daughter Tori, 9, called the family together for a prayer circle right after they ran across the street from the burning house and realized they were all OK.“We needed to pray for things to get better and for support," Tori said Monday.

Terry Crawford, 16, walks over the ashes and debris in what used to be the family's kitchen. A fire destroyed the Silver Springs Shores home before dawn Sunday.
Terry Crawford, 16, walks over the ashes and debris in what used to be the family's kitchen. A fire destroyed the Silver Springs Shores home before dawn Sunday.

Angel Thomas, 33, a single mother, said she was "overwhelmed" by the help the family has been receiving and the family was thankful there were no injuries.

The house fire started about 3 a.m. Sunday: 'It was like a snake.'

The fire in the Silver Springs Shores house where the family has lived for about five years occurred about 3 a.m. Sunday. The home is located in the 9000 block of Southeast 88th Street.

Thomas said she first heard a "crackling sound" and thought someone might be cooking. She ran toward the kitchen, looked out a window and saw the extent of the fire on the porch. She immediately began to gather the children and make sure they got out of the house.

"The fire moved so fast through the inside of the house; it was like a snake," Thomas said.

Marion County Fire Rescue is investigating. A plugged-in portable heater on the porch may have been the cause, according to a preliminary review.

In all, 19 firefighters, one emergency medical responder, two other personnel and 13 pieces of firefighting apparatus were at the scene. Damage to the structure is estimated at $114,923 and contents at $57,461. First responders arrived at 3:06 a.m. and were on scene until 5:04 a.m., according to Marion County Fire Rescue.

The family's pastor stepped up with immediate shelter after the fire

Pastor Toni Wilson of A Pressing Place church, where the family attends services, stepped in to help immediately after the fire. She opened her southwest Marion County home for them to stay.

"We are church family, it's the right thing and it's what you do. Love is an action word. Imagine what a better world this would be if everyone (helped each other). I told Angel this was a new beginning. They really are a faithful family," Wilson said.

u0022Oh, God, he has a plan,u0022 Angel Thomas, right, said on Monday after picking what she could from the remains of the fire that destroyed her family's home early Sunday.
u0022Oh, God, he has a plan,u0022 Angel Thomas, right, said on Monday after picking what she could from the remains of the fire that destroyed her family's home early Sunday.

Marion County Fire Rescue Chaplain Joe LaCognata was at the scene of the fire and, as a volunteer with the American Red Cross, provided the family with funds for shelter.

LaCognata said the fire was considered "major" by Red Cross standards.

"The family's faith is so strong it sustains them (but) they will need clothing, bedding and other housewares," he said.

Community With a Heart helped the Thomas family back in 2019

Thomas, then known as Angel Hunter, was the recipient of a 2008 Kia Sportage in 2019 in an outreach by Jenkins Auto Group in partnership with Community With A Heart (CWAH).

A March 23, 2019 Star-Banner article detailed how the like-new Sportage replaced her aged car, which had 300,000 miles on the odometer.

The Sportage would be used for commuting to work and for taking Tori every six weeks to University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville for treatment of sickle cell disease. Tori still must go to Gainesville, but less frequently now.

The vehicle was damaged in the fire but can still be driven.

Tori Thomas, 9, covers her nose on Monday to block out the post-fire smell. The Thomas family home was destroyed by flames before dawn Sunday.
Tori Thomas, 9, covers her nose on Monday to block out the post-fire smell. The Thomas family home was destroyed by flames before dawn Sunday.

Angel Thomas has made positive career moves over the last several years and is currently employed with Marion County Public Schools as a homeschool liaison at Greenway Elementary School.

Lena Hopkins and Scott Hackmyer, who were part of the CWAH team when the Sportage was presented to Angel Thomas, visited the family on Monday. So did longtime family friend Cleve Butler.

Hopkins said a bank account for donations had been opened.

Angel Thomas said the family's biggest single need now is a place to stay large enough to accommodate six.

PNC Bank at 5500 SW College Road, Ocala, has opened an account to accept donations for the family. Donations can be mailed or dropped off at the bank.

Tori had one request on Monday.

"I need a (cell)phone charger," she said.You can help

Donations to the family’s account can be dropped off or mailed to:PNC Bank5500 SW College RoadOcala, FL 34474-5740(352) 854-4460Reference: ANGEL THOMAS ACCOUNTNUMBER 1246271462

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala, Florida family loses everything in devastating house fire