Deputy, wife lose everything in fire

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WALA) - A Jackson County Sheriff's Department detective is picking up the pieces after he lost his home to a fire over the weekend.

He is a man that has dedicated his career to saving lives and it was no different when his home caught fire.

Detective Mickie Powell’s home has stood in the same place for more than 27 years. Now it is an empty lot. The weekend fire wiped out the home, but Powell was able to get himself and his wife out safely.

Powell said he and his wife had just laid down to rest when she heard the fire alarm. 

"She gets up out of the bed and goes in the kitchen living room area, and she starts screaming, you know. 'Something’s burning,” Powell said.

 Powell said the living room and kitchen were in flames.  

"When I saw the fire that had gotten way out of hand, at that point I knew there was no saving the mobile home," Powell said.

Powell’s wife had just had knee replacement surgery making it hard to get around.

“I grab her by her shirt and the back door won't open. We cant go out the front door; fire's everywhere. I take her to the back door. I have to kick it open, and me and my wife got out of the house, and she grabbed my poodle, and he got out also,” Powell said.

Powell said within minutes the home was engulfed in flames. Now all that is left is a few items of clothing, piles of scrap and miraculously a family photo album nearly untouched.  

For Powell, it is enough. The family has spent more than 27 years in the home building those memories, and he hopes many more will be made in the same spot.

“We're not going to let us discourage us or get us down. This is where I was raised, and I'm going to be right here. Hopefully, we can be here another 28 years,” Powell said.

If you would like to help, a fund has been set up for the Powell’s at First Federal Bank in Jackson County.