Pemberton House Fire 2023

Hi, my name is Julie, and thank you for visiting this page. My Aunt and Uncle, Ramonda and Patrick Pemberton, had a house fire on December 10, 2023. Due to the quick actions by the Fire Department, the actual fire damage was contained to one corner of the house. However, there is also water damage and extensive smoke damage to the house. Please keep reading to learn what happened, more about their home, and how you can help.

The Story of What Happened

Sunday morning Ramonda was sitting on the sofa drinking morning coffee and Patrick was still sleeping. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until the smoke alarm started going off. Ramonda got up to investigate and a flame in Patrick’s office caught the corner of her eye. She opened the door to look and seeing the fire yelled for Patrick to get up that they had a fire. Patrick told Ramonda to call 911 and attempted to put the fire out with a home fire extinguisher. The fire extinguisher failed, 911 was called, and Patrick made the decision they had to get out. At this point, black smoke was rolling into the kitchen making it difficult to breathe. They got out safely with no injuries. They are incredibly grateful that their home was not a total loss. These old houses can be engulfed by flames very quickly. However, because of the extensive damage to their home, they will be displaced for an estimated 6 months to 1 year.

History of the Home

Patrick and Ramonda’s home was built in 1897 and bought by Patrick’s grandparents, Max and Margaret Jo Pemberton, in 1940. Patrick’s father was 1 year old at the time of the purchase and grew up in the home. The upstairs of the home was originally a separate apartment and was occupied by Patrick’s great-grandmother Mary Riggs until her passing in 1990. Patrick occupied the upstairs apartment from 1990 until the passing of Margaret Jo in 2001 and then he

bought the home for his continued residency. There are 83 years of memories and memorabilia in the home from 3 generations of Pembertons living in the house.

How You Can Help

The last 3 years have changed the lives of many people and Patrick and Ramonda are no exception. Employment changes due to COVID and inflation during the last couple of years have hit them hard. Patrick and Ramonda do have insurance that will help with a significant amount of the damages caused by the fire. However, they have a $6,000 deductible and they are quickly learning there are damages that will not be covered by insurance. If you feel led to make a financial contribution to assist Patrick and Ramonda, they will be incredibly grateful. If you are not in a financial situation to contribute, prayers for the difficult days and months ahead are also greatly appreciated.