Fire leaves a Fayetteville family homeless
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Chuck and Genis McNeil lost everything Friday afternoon, but their hope and faith.
"Thank God we don't worry in the name of Jesus Christ," said Genis McNeil. "We are blessed to get out of that house."
The home in the 100 block of East Loch Haven Drive where the couple has lived for 15 years, and where they raised foster children, was gutted by fire. The couple barely had time to get out.
Chuck McNeil said they were in the kitchen when they heard a loud "pop "in the attic near their garage. When he went to check, McNeil couldn't believe what he saw.
"I got to the back door," McNeil said, "and I looked and said 'Wow!' It just exploded. It was all over the place."
He said the flames raced along the roofline.
The couple ran to a next door neighbor where they watched their dream home reduced to ashes and rubble.
Asst. Fire Chief Richard Bradshaw said when firefighters arrived nearly half the roof was on fire. The smoke and flames he said were 15-20 feet in the air.
More than three dozen firefighters from several units were called in to fight the blaze.
The McNeils were not hurt. Their foster son was at school when the fire broke out. While they may not have much to salvage from the ashes, the family says their faith will get them through the ordeal.
"Material things don't matter," said Genis McNeil. "As long as we got our lives, we can continue on."
Investigators will help pinpoint where and how the fire started.
