Adamsville, AL - An Adamsville family is coping with the loss of one of its own.  A morning house fire killed 61 year-old Patricia Davis and sent four of her family members to University Hospital. Davis's daughter remained there Wednesday night suffering from first and second degree burns.

Preliminary reports show a child playing with a lighter started the fire.

"Flames, firemen, ambulances loading up the kids," said Glenda Frye describing the scene Wednesday morning.

As Frye recalls the fire that killed her neighbor she expersses sadness over the loss.

"I feel for the family. I mean. they've lost their home. Where can they go," Frye said.  "Now, they've lost their home here at the holidays. They just lost their dad a year ago. I just feel for them."

Four generations of the Davis family were inside the house when the blaze began. The fire quickly spread, sending family members scrambling to get out of the house.

"Smoke is bad.  Smoke is bad, because it's gas," said Adamsville Fire Chief Greg Wilkey said.  "It doesn't take but a second and it will cut you off and you don't breathe anymore."

Investigators say the blaze began while Davis slept in the front room. She ran to the bathroom to escape the fire but bars over the window trapped her inside.  Investigators found her body inside the bathtub.

"It's just a sad situation. My condolences to the family for their loss," said Wilkey.

Davis once worked as a nurse. Friends say she cared for the entire community and they will certainly miss her.

"If someone was sick in the neighborhood, she would offer to go over and do what she could," Frye said.  "She was a good woman."

An account has been set up to help the Davis family.  You can make monetary donations at the Forestdale branch of Colonial Bank.  Other items should be dropped of at Adamsville City Hall.

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