Alicia Witt was at her nursing job when a friend called with news no homeowner ever wants to hear. Her Bedford County house was on fire, and her two dogs were still trapped inside.
The fire broke out the morning of March 3 in the 10000 block of Goodview Road. While the family is safe, the blaze destroyed their belongings and claimed the lives of their two Dobermans.
Neighbors attempted a desperate rescue
Witt’s friend, Emily, was the first to arrive at the scene. Witt told her to do whatever was necessary to save the animals. Emily and another neighbor tried to pry open a door and break a window to reach the dogs.
They saw the two Dobermans, including a 13-month-old named Jacks, attempting to run down the stairs. However, the smoke was too thick for the animals to escape. When the window was opened, the influx of oxygen caused the flames to intensify. Both dogs died from smoke inhalation.
“The hardest part for all of us has been the loss of our dogs,” Witt said. “My husband and Jacks were absolute best friends. It has been a very emotional time for us.”
A home turned to ash
Firefighters from several companies responded to the one-and-a-half-story home. By the time they arrived, flames were visible from the back corner of the structure. Insurance investigators later deemed the house a total loss.
The fire started in the kitchen and moved through the walls into the upstairs master bedroom. The damage was so severe that a heavy dresser fell through the charred floor. It landed in the room below, completely destroyed.
The family, including Witt’s husband and their two children, lost nearly everything they owned.
Finding strength in the Goodview community
Despite the devastation, the Witt family says the support from the community has been overwhelming. Strangers have pulled into their driveway to offer hugs and small cash donations for food.
“We’ve had random strangers we’ve never met before pull in our driveway and give us a twenty dollar bill,” Witt said. “The love and the support in the area has been overwhelming and very appreciated.”
The family’s insurance company provided a hotel room the night of the fire. Now, the long process of rebuilding begins. A GoFundMe page has been established by the husband’s employer to help the family get back on their feet.
CLICK HERE to view the Go Fund Me that was set up for the Witt Family
Standing together through the ashes
The family is leaning on each other as they navigate the insurance process and plan for a new home. While the physical items can be replaced, the memory of their pets remains the most difficult hurdle. Witt says her 7-year-old son still struggles with the quietness of the front window where the dogs used to bark.
For now, the family remains focused on staying together and moving forward one day at a time.
The post Bedford family mourns loss of pets, home after Goodview Road fire first appeared on News/Talk 960-AM & FM-107.3 WFIR.
