Shreveport woman escapes early morning house fire
By: Sara DiMura
Updated: March 5, 2013
After once giving shelter to the homeless, Annie Spates is now the one in need.
"Right now it's just really sinking in," says Spates.
Her home went up in flames in the middle of the night, and everything is gone.
"When I woke up, it was already going," says Spates.
"I was in the bedroom, it started in the living room, and the fire was going up the wall, so I tried my best to put it out, you know dashing water on it, but it's getting worse," says Spates.
Ms. Spates has lived on the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Hearne Avenue for 40 years, and this is the only time she's been awakened by the smell of smoke.
The fire started in the living room and spread from there.
She tried to douse the flames with water, but was overwhelmed by the smoke. All of her memories are ruined.
More than a dozen emergency responders were called out to battle the blaze.
"[I] say about two thirds of it is burned, and the rest of it is fire, I mean smoke and water damage," says Spates.
Tierra Tellis has known Ms. Spates for years, and says she was always well-known in the community.
"She draws a lot of people's attention on this corner for years now, 'cause I've lived on this side for about five years, so I know her from just passing by," says Tellis.
Tellis says Ms. Spates faith in God stand's out.
"She seems like a very god-fearing woman," says Tellis. "And I know that God is with her. She doesn't just make her light shine, she lets it shine."
She ministers to many, and because of her faith, she's not worried at all.
"It's different from anything I've ever been through," says Spates. "It's uh, I just really can't describe it to you. But God is faithful. He's always been faithful to me."
Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause.
