Jessica Coleman
Contributing Writer
When the power in her kitchen blinked and surged on January 12, Nina Payton unplugged the microwave, where she was melting butter to put in brownies she was making with her children. She had no way of knowing that in just a few minutes, her home would be completely gone.
It was her daughter, Skylar, aged 18, who first saw the flames, shooting out of an electrical outlet their fish tank was plugged into, and froze.
“I said ‘Mom, fire! Fire!’ said Skylar. “And I kind of just stood there because I didn’t know what to do, so I just stood there.”
It only took a couple of minutes before the entire wall was up in flames, and a few more minutes before the home was completely engulfed.
Payton and her children escaped the blaze, and one of their dogs was safe outside with them. Their dog Lisa Marie, a pit bull that Skylar adored, didn’t make it out. They found her in her “safe place.”
“She was in my closet,” said Nina. “Every time there was a thunderstorm, that’s where she went. That’s where she felt safe, and that’s exactly where she was.”
On January 16, they sifted through what used to be their home and their belongings. Almost nothing was left. They found part of a Himalayan salt lamp, but the rest of their things were a melted, charred, ashy mess.
By then, Nina’s husband Baron had rushed back from Tennessee, where he was working, helping with ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. As she described where their bedrooms and belongings used to be, he began digging the hole to lay Lisa Marie to rest.
Nina tried to point out where all of her things had been.
“There’s the fireplace,” she said, pointing. “Right beside the fireplace was my fish tank. That’s where the fire originated. There was a gun cabinet right here. There were no guns in it, but my husband’s guitar was.”
She said the children also each had guitars, none of which survived.
The family has found a place to lay their heads temporarily with a friend of the family who opened their RV. It is a little cramped for a family of six and their remaining dog, but they are grateful to have it.
The home, which the family rented, sat on County Road 436, between La Ward and Lolita. It was a total loss.
The community came together quickly to make sure they were clothed. Nina’s son, who was in the bathtub when the fire started, had quite literally nothing to wear but a towel, and it wasn’t long before they had all the clothing they could store.
So how can the community help now? What are the most important things? A main priority is purchasing a computer, as Nina works from home and needs one to do her job. An account was opened to help the family rebuild their life. People can donate to the Payton Family Benefit Account at First State Bank in Ganado.
