Family reeling from raging fire that followed burning of Jehovah's Witness pamphlet
SHELBY — “They don’t know what’s going on, and neither do I.”
Modeling oversized work boots from a firefighter, Lynn Powell crunched through the remains of her Nalley Drive home to speak with her granddaughters, Nevaeh Young and J'mya Ross. Powell knows innocence is bliss.
The two children played outside Saturday, seemingly unaware of what transpired just a day before. But Powell’s emotions wavered much like their rocking teeter totter.
“They’re too young,” she said, “and I can’t imagine why anyone would do this.”
Powell’s home alit Friday and fire inspector Bobby Horton says the “suspicious” incident remains under investigation.
Horton said Powell contacted authorities Thursday night in reference to a fire on her front porch. Apparently, Powell said, someone torched a Jehovah’s Witness pamphlet and fled the scene.
“My granddaughter didn’t want me to stay here after that,” Powell said, “so I didn’t.”
The house was destroyed in her absence. Horton said the structure was a total loss.
Powell learned of the fire at the hospital, where she was visiting her ailing father.
“I just can’t believe it,” Powell said. “Just can’t believe that someone would do this. I try to (do) good by people and ask they do the same.”
Powell, sifting with soot-covered hands, managed to find Christmas presents amongst the rubble. Some memories were salvageable; most were torched.
Powell now wonders if her presence would have prevented the blaze. But there’s little time to play watchdog — she watches her grandchildren during the day and drives a school bus.
“It looked like nobody lived there,” she said, standing near uncut grass matted down by debris or firefighter footprints, “but if I would’ve been there, I might have burned alive.”
source (with video): http://www.shelbystar.com/news/jehovah-50700-pamphlet-raging.html