Christmas for one family in Demopolis took a turn for the worst yesterday when their home caught fire. This family’s mobile home suffered heavy smoke damage, but luckily didn’t burn to the ground.

She was cooking lunch and thinking everything was fine, but little did she know her children had their hands on a cigarette lighter. Somehow, the children managed to catch the home on fire.

Davis placed a call into 911 dispatchers at 11:59 am. The dispatchers contacted the Demopolis Fire Department at Noon and they arrived on the scene at 12:03 pm.

Davis got her family out of the home and waited for the DFD to arrive. A total of 7 members of the DFD, five firefighters, one captain, and the chief arrived at the residence and spent about an hour getting the fire taken care of. They used over 200 gallons of water during the firefight. "Thank goodness she was able to get everyone out," Waters said.

The fire yesterday is sad for Davis and her family around this Christmas holiday season, but it raises the fact that parents must watch their children around matches and lighters. Waters has some tips for this holiday season on how to be safe and have a merry Christmas. "Make sure to put matches and lighters away after using them. Also if you have a real green tree make sure you keep it good and watered," Waters said.

Some other tips are be sure to test all your smoke detectors, keep your oven cleaned especially from all the cooking use during Thanksgiving, don’t overload electric outlets and check all your lights for shorts.