Fire rips through large two-story brick home

Sep. 14—Fire destroyed a two-story brick home on Roberts Road in Baldwin County late Monday afternoon, local authorities say.

No one was injured in the blaze, which was called in to 911 dispatchers shortly after 5 p.m.

A man inside managed to escape the burning house. Three dogs and a pet fish in an aquarium were also saved from the fire, which destroyed the second floor of the home.

Fire also destroyed a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that was parked near the back porch of the home located at 278 Roberts Road, NW.

The house was located in the Haddock community in Baldwin County near the Jones County line.

A camper and several cars parked in the front yard of the residence were not damaged.

Several pieces of furniture, TV sets and clothing were spared from the flames on the second floor of the residence, which was home to several members of the same family.

Baldwin County Fire Rescue Chief Victor Young said the 6,500-square foot home had nine bedrooms and six bathrooms.

An estimated 40 firefighters from both Baldwin County Fire Rescue and Jones County Fire Rescue battled intense flames for a couple of hours before bringing the fire under control. Several volunteer firefighters also responded to the scene and helped to extinguish the flames.

"It was a case of brothers and sisters helping brothers and sisters," Young said.

The home was owned by Sherman Stewart.

Stewart was the only member of the family at the residence at the time of the fire.

"I was the first one on the scene of the fire," Young said, noting he was soon joined by Baldwin County Firefighter Willie Tennison Jr. from Baldwin County Fire Station 8, West Baldwin.

"The fire was through the roof when I pulled up."

Immediately, Young and Tennison went into action, pulling hoses and dousing the flames as best they could until they were joined by firefighters from both Baldwin and Jones counties.

"We both did the best we could until the calvary could arrive to help us," Young said.

Although the second floor of the home was destroyed, much of the bottom floor of the dwelling was spared — mainly because doors to several of the rooms were shut off.

"That's what we teach in fire safety classes," said Baldwin County Fire Rescue Capt. Bradley Towe, who stayed at the scene of the fire for most of the night in an attempt to determine the cause of the blaze.

Towe determined that the fire started in the kitchen on the stovetop.

Towe said Stewart told fire officials that he had been cooking hamburgers and fries.

Stewart reportedly was downstairs in his bedroom when the fire broke out and spread to other parts of the top floor.

The fire also breached the attic.

"With the brick walls, it held a lot of heat in the kitchen area and when it reached flashover it lit off," Towe said.

Towe said firefighters from both departments worked well together.

"It was an extremely hot fire to work," Towe said.

The homeowner had fire insurance, and plans to rebuild, Young said.