Community

Bellaire Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Loses Home in Blaze

A Bellaire assistant fire chief's house on Fulton Hill Road was a total loss after a fire Tuesday and friends and neighbors are taking up a collection to help the family of six.

Assistant Fire Chief Tim Bell of the Bellaire Volunteer Fire Department was on site looking over the shell of the house early Tuesday evening. He was joined by friends and neighbors who helped as the Bell family packed and prepared to spend the night at a relative's.

"I called my fire department," Bell said. "Everybody got out all right."

Bell was stunned by the loss. He said he was told the fire started and spread quickly.

"I wasn't home," he said. "I was at work. My wife was downstairs ... she heard a loud pop upstairs and then she said she made it to the top of the steps and the house was fully engulfed."

Emergency responders from Bellaire and Shadyside arrived on scene and doused the blaze. Afterward, a fire engine remained at the site to put out any flare-ups. A cause was not announced as of that night and the fire remains under investigation.

A Gofundme account has been started, and can be found on site by searching "Assistant fire chief's house total loss."

The family is in need of extra large men's shirts and 36 by 32 men's pants; boys' large shirts and pants size 34 by 32; womens' jeans in size 12, large sweats and extra large shirts; jeans size 38 by 32; small shirts; mens' shoes size 11 and shoes size 6.5.

The family is made up of Tim Bell, his wife Brandi, two adult children and two middle school children. Donations can be sent to the fire department at 2450 Belmont Street. The phone number is 740-325-1848. People may also reach out to Ashley Arnett, who operates the Gofundme account, at 304-559-4935.