BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — Friends and family are seeking help for a southwest Bartholomew County couple who lost their mobile home to a fire.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help Terry and Danielle “Dani” Abbott, 11635 W. County Road 700S in the Mount Healthy area.
On Wednesday, April 12, the family was burning brush in their backyard when the flames got out of control and moved toward a carport area, Southwest Fire Department Fire Chief Billy Koons said.
Shortly before 3:30 p.m., the blaze climbed up and reached a space between the top of the residence and a roof-like cover that shielded the mobile home, Koons said. Once that happened, the fire spread at an extremely fast pace, the fire chief said.
“It only took six minutes to take everything,” said Ron Hoover, who identified himself as Terry Abbott’s brother.
Southwest firefighters were assisted by the Brown County Fire Department. Columbus Regional Hospital EMS had an ambulance on stand-by, but Koons said it was not needed.
The couple had a Yorkshire terrier that seemed to vanish after the fire broke out, a neighbor said. First responders, many of whom remained on the scene for nearly eight hours, conducted a search after the flames were extinguished, Koons said.
The dog succumbed to smoke inhalation, and was found in one of the bedrooms, the fire chief said.
Since the residence was a modified mobile home, the couple were unable to find a company willing to insure the residence at an affordable price, Hoover said.
The GoFundMe account is under the title “Terry & Daniel Abbott lost home to fire no ins.” Established by Hoover one day after the fire, the account had attracted $1,610 as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
