Mineolans hit with house fires

Posted 3/1/17

A Mineola woman and Winona school teacher got the call no one ever wants to get Friday night when she learned that her and her husband’s home had burned down.

Heather McCallum was at a Christian …

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Mineolans hit with house fires

Posted

A Mineola woman and Winona school teacher got the call no one ever wants to get Friday night when she learned that her and her husband’s home had burned down.

Heather McCallum was at a Christian women’s conference in Longview Friday night when she got the call informing her and her husband Preston’s home had burned.

The Mineola Fire Department was paged out to the call at 7:41 p.m. to the fire on County Road 2724. David Madsen with the fire department said the RV in which they lived was consumed by fire when the fire department arrived.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire. But Heather posted to her friends on Facebook that their home was a total loss, although fortunately they had many things in a storage unit. Wood County Fire Marshal Tully Davidson said the cause of the fire was electrical.

“We want to thank everyone for the overwhelming support, and all of the prayers,” she said. “We definitely feel the love and support.”

The couple’s church has helped them, and anyone else wanting to help them can contact a member of Freedom Baptist Church. A GoFundMe page is being established.

Heather is a first grade teacher in Winona and Preston is a ranger for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department at Tyler State Park.

The McCallums’ fire was the second of the week, with the first also occurring east of Mineola on County Road 2790 at 6:46 p.m. on Thursday.

Davidson said Thursday’s was a grease fire that was contained to the kitchen. Amy Posey and her family were renting the home. No one was injured there, although her adult son sustained smoke inhalation. The Poseys have found a new home since the fire, Davidson said.