By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
Thursday morning started out like any other for Marilyn Adrian and her two children, who were at their North Lee Street home watching television.
Fast forward a couple of hours and the family was sitting outside in their pickup watching firefighters douse flames that consumed their home.
Marilyn “Lyn” Adrian and daughter, Cassandra, 13, and son, Thomas, 21, left the 1701 N. Lee St. home with pajamas on and not much else besides their dogs.
The family has 12 dogs, eight of which are newborn puppies. One of the dogs, a pit bull named Max, which the family was watching for a friend, was missing for some time and presumed dead.
But Salisbury Fire Capt. Rick Fleming later found Max in the kitchen, covered in soot.
Fire officials have not yet determined a cause of the fire, which destroyed the home where the family had lived for nearly three years.
Adrian said she smelled smoke and soon saw fire coming from the dining room wall.
“By the time I was coming past the stairs, I saw fire on the stairs,” Adrian said through tears Thursday.
Her main concern was to get her children out of the house.
Just two years ago, a tree fell through the back portion of the home while a landscaper was cutting it and the family was still in the midst of repairs when the fire broke out.
“We have been rebuilding since then,” Adrian said.
She lost all of her belongings, including clothes, bank cards, medications and even her dentures.
Adrian said she recently returned from a trip to Florida, where she sees doctors for an old injury from an accident. She said her doctors believe she also has fibromyalgia, a disease that leaves the victim plagued by chronic pain.
On top of all the stress from the fire, Adrian’s son, Richard, is returning home from Iraq very soon.
She said neighbors brought the family sweaters and other clothing, warm liquids to drink and treats for the dogs.
“This is why I love North Carolina. It’s genuine,” she said.
Getting the family out safely was the main concern for fire officials, said Salisbury Battalion Chief David Morris.
Morris said when firefighters arrived on the scene, the house was about 50 percent engulfed in flames and heavy smoke.
The call came in about 8:02 a.m.
Firefighters changed the mode of attack to defensive once they knew all the occupants were out.
The condition of the house also led to their defensive attack.
“We’re very fortunate they had alert neighbors who called 911 and said the roof had already collapsed,” Morris said.
Firefighters also worked to protect the house next door, which did catch fire, but did not appear to have extensive damage.
The Elizabeth Hanford Dole Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family, said Dick Smith, director of disaster services.
The Red Cross provides temporary food, clothing and shelter.
In light of the Thanksgiving holiday coming up Thursday, Smith said, the Red Cross could possibly provide the family with an extra night at a hotel.
“It gives them a couple of days to sort out how they’re going to recover,” Smith said.
He said typically hotels will let families with one or two dogs stay anyway.
Smith said he believes the Adrians found someone to take their adult dogs, and the family will watch over the puppies.
Anyone interested in assisting the Adrian family can go through the local chapter of the American Red Cross at 704-633-3854.
Smith said a name and phone number will be taken and then given to the family. The family also can speak with the donor directly.
In the end, everyone was thankful no one was injured during Thursday’s fire.
In addition to Salisbury city fire, Locke, Rowan Rescue Squad and Salisbury Police responded. Granite Quarry and Spencer Fire departments provided fire coverage for those departments while they tended to the fire.