Red Cross gives help to victims

By Carolyn P. Smith, as published in the Belleville News-Democrat .

Carmen Mosley said she knows she is blessed that she, her four children, her upstairs tenants and their nine children made it out alive when they awoke to find their home engulfed in flames.

Mosley was asleep in her house at 1540 N. 45th St. Her 14-year-old daughter, Taylor Brown, woke her and told her the house was on fire.

"We live on the main level," Mosley said. "My daughter woke me up. The back of the house was on fire. I am very thankful that no one was injured."

Through tears, Mosley said she lost everything in the fire, as well as the house she has called home since she was 7 years old. She and her four children, ages 14, 11 and 9-year-old twins, now are homeless.

So are Mosley's tenants: Juan Hill, his girlfriend, Natalie McBride, and their nine children, who range in age from 6 to 15 years old. Hill said he and McBride aren't sure where they will live.

The American Red Cross sent a disaster action team to the site of the fire. Its caseworkers are assisting the families, said Stephen Hall, spokesman for the St. Louis Area Chapter of the Red Cross.

"We are providing the immediate shelter for the families as well as food and clothing," Hall said, adding the organization also will provide assistance with first month's rent when the families relocate. "As they begin to transfer more to longer-term needs, we'll certainly provide referrals as far as longer-term recovery."

East St. Louis Assistant Fire Chief Ed Smith said a call reporting the burning structure came in to the department at 1 a.m.

"When we arrived, we saw flames coming from the back of the house," Smith said. "The fire got up to the second floor of the house, too. The roof burned off. There is extensive damage to the house, including smoke and water damage."

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, Smith said.

He said the blaze started in the rear of the house. It took seven firemen two hours to extinguish the fire, Smith said.

No one was injured, he said.

"The family and the tenants were all outside when we arrived at the house," Smith said. "I was told that a Washington Park police officer helped them to get out."

He did not know the officer's name, he said.

Mosley said her family could use donations of clothing, furnishings and cash as they are looking for another home. She is trying to get an account set up with Regions Bank.