Level Plains vet loses all in fire

A trailer on Dale County Road 433, formerly Pigpen Road, in Level Plains was consumed by a fire on Jan. 30.

Staff Sgt. (Ret.) James Griffin, 80, had gotten up to get a drink when he said a candle on his coffee table caught the table on fire and then the rest of his home.

The sudden fire startled Griffin and caused him to fall where he then crawled outside of his trailer to the safety of his lawn.

“I couldn’t hardly move but I just kept my feet shuffling,” Griffin said. “I was just trying to make sure I was getting out, but it kept getting hotter in there.”

His neighbor Nell White called 911 to get help for Griffin.

“I saw him laying in the yard with his hands over his head and I looked over and there was already a big flame,” White said.

The call came in at approximately 7:45 a.m., according to Level Plains Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jamie Gatlin.

The LPVFD, Level Plains Police Department, Daleville Fire Department and Daleville Police Department responded to the call and managed to keep the fire from spreading to White’s house; however, the trailer Griffin was living in was left completely destroyed.

White said she’s just happy that Griffin made it out alive.

“The Lord has an angel over him,” she said.

White says that she’s letting Griffin stay with her for the time being.

Level Plains Police Chief Ivan Keith Gray said that the City of Level Plains has already set up a donation box at City Hall for residents to donate to Griffin, who lost everything in the fire.

“We appreciate everybody that’s donated so far since he did lose everything (in the fire) and I just encourage residents to continue donating so we can get him back up on his feet,” Level Plains Mayor Bruce Grantham said.