Update: Firefighter Says Fire Drills, God Helped Save Family

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) –A raging fire in eastern Lowndes County has left a firefighter and his family homeless.

And the firefighter says the home fire drills the family practiced helped save them.

The Lowndes County District 3 Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the home of Heath Dyer, one of its own firefighters, on Ben Christopher Road in New Hope at around 1 a.m. Wednesday. The family of five — two adults and three children — were still sleeping when the fire started.

According to fire chief Wayne Doyle, the blaze was caused by an electrical outlet eruption near a mattress. It took 15 minutes to get the blaze under control.

Dyer provided the following version of the fire via e-mail:

“My son Trace is 12 years old.  We’re all sleeping and about 1:00 am he came into my bedroom and said, ‘Mom, Dad my bed is on fire.’ Being the firefighter that I am, I jumped into action, all the while Trace started waking his brothers and telling them to get out of the house.  Within 5 minutes of Trace letting us know that there was a fire and getting everyone out, his bedroom was fully involved. Within a few minutes of that, his brother’s room was also on fire.  My 12-year-old son did what we have practice and preached for years at our house.  Stay calm, wake everyone and get out to the”safe” spot. Trace is the hardest sleeper in our house he can sleep through anything. When I asked him what woke you up his answer was very calm and right to the point…. GOD woke me up! I am very proud of my son he stayed calm and saved our family.”

No one was injured.

However, the family lost everything in the fire.

Fellow firefighters have set up a special account for the the Dyer family. You can donate at Bancorpsouth. Ask for “Heath and Dawn Dyer” account to donate.

The District 3 department is asking for donations on behalf of the victims. To help, contact the district 3 fire department or Chief Wayne Doyle at 662-251-6300.