NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. — A family of 10 lost their home and vehicles in a Saturday morning fire, according to New Kent County Fire Chief Richard Opett.
New Kent Fire-Rescue responded to the home at 9:32 a.m. on Feb. 7 in the 4900 block of Lynn Lake Court. First-arriving units found a single-story house with a walk-out basement fully engulfed in flames, Opett said.
Everyone safely evacuated the building, but the home is considered a total loss.
"The first thing that popped into my head was all my siblings," Tyler Adkins, who lost his home in the fire, said. "All the material stuff can be replaced."
The family includes parents Tammy Toots and Bryant Gauldin and their children ranging in age from 4 to 23 years old.
Tyler said his mother was the first to spot the flames when she heard a noise and opened the back door.
"When she opens the door our roof was already on fire," Adkins said. "The wind blew the fire into the house, and it knocked her back. Obviously, she started screaming for help like to get my stepdad and siblings and at this point they try and put out the fire, and they don't realize how bad it really is."
When they went outside, they saw the roof engulfed in flames.
Fire crews faced significant challenges, Opett said, due to heavy fire and high winds. The home's remote location, lack of nearby hydrants, and icy conditions also impacted the response, he said.
The first units arrived within nine minutes of the 911 call.
Firefighters from seven jurisdictions, New Kent County, James City County, York County, Henrico County, Charles City County, King & Queen County, King William County, and the Town of West Point ended up responding to the home.
One firefighter was treated and transported to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation and was released the same day.
Crews remained on-site managing hotspots and making sure the fire was out.
Three of the family's children are former New Kent High School basketball players, according to a post on the New Kent High School Boys Basketball Facebook page.
Despite the devastating loss, signs of hope are everywhere. Neighbors have been dropping off clothes, and thousands of dollars have been raised in just days.
"Less than 48 hours ago, I had nothing. I had a pair of slippers, a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt. And now I have almost a whole wardrobe again just from donations. I have not spent a dime," Adkins said. "You move forward with the good people that are helping us and we still got our family, that's all that matters."
Community members are still collecting donations including clothing, toiletries, household essentials and vehicles for the family.
Items can be dropped off at the New Kent Parks & Recreation Gym during business hours Monday through Friday.
The cause remains under investigation by the New Kent Fire Marshal's Office.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
