Bowie firefighters battled a large house fire at the corner of Rock and Wise Saturday afternoon where the attic blaze essentially burned the roof off of the home.
The fire call came in at 4:54 p.m. on May 2 for a fire at 201 Rock. The home is owned by William Murray III. Fire Chief Doug Page said when they arrived there was heavy smoke coming from the attic.
“The residents were home when the fire started and someone knocked on the door telling them about the heavy smoke and they needed to leave,” said Page.
As of Monday the cause of the fire was still undetermined.
The fire spread across the top of the house. The chief said there was no fire damage inside although there was significant water damage.
Traffic was diverted as the fire trucks filled that section of Wise Street. Page added it was a very hot and humid day creating steamy conditions for the firefighters.
A young neighbor from around the corner who followed the smoke tried to assist the family. Gracie Vahle, 13, and her mother, Elizabeth, live with her parents one block over at 702 E. Tarrant. Gracie is an eighth grader at Bowie Junior High.
Belinda Vahle, Gracie’s grandmother was outside mowing when she saw the neighborhood filling up with smoke. She called Gracie and told her to get out of the house uncertain of the fire’s location.
Going out into the backyard Gracie saw the fire and when she got to the scene the residents had just come outside, but they were trying to get items they needed from inside. The family had been able to assist their 93-year-old mother out of the house.
“I tried to help them with what I could. They were worried about their photos. The firefighters were able to get some of their photos. I told them everything would be okay,” said Gracie.