Broxton fire leaves elderly homeowner 'with just the clothes on her back'

By Caitlin Wolfe

DouglasNow.com

“She was in a panic,” says Sonja Harvey when asked about finding out that the Broxton home of her mother, Elizabeth Harvey, was ablaze. Sonja was not in town at the time of the fire but received a gut-wrenching phone call from her mother in the evening hours of Friday March 31, 2023. According to Sonya, it is not known at this time how the fire started. However, she states the fire did start in the kitchen of the home around 8:00 pm. 

Sonja states that when walking through what was left of the home, they could see that “everything was gone.” This fire ended with a total loss of the home and all contents inside.

Sonja also states that what was not consumed by the fire was irrecoverable due to smoke and water damage. Fortunately, no person or animals were injured by the fire. 

When asked what the next steps are for her mother and family, Sonja says they have contacted the American Red Cross Association and are taking action to get her mother re-established and in a new home. They are also hoping to receive any form of help possible from community members. 

“My mom doesn’t have anything. She got out with no shoes, just the clothes on her back,” Sonya says.