By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — City officials will gather today at the site of a house fire last night on Mitchell Avenue.
Chris Branham, code services division manager, said he and Fire Marshal Terry Smith will inspect the house at 105 Mitchell Ave. this afternoon.
The Cowan family escaped with nothing but their pajamas, a cell phone and their pets when the fire started before 11 p.m. Family members, who declined to give their first names, said the fire started in an upstairs bedroom closet.
They have rented the house since September. The American Red Cross put the family up in a local hotel. Both mother and father have family in Salisbury, Mrs. Cowan said.
Tax records list Vue Neng and Mary Tou as the property owners. They could not be reached for comment.
The house was damaged in another fire a decade ago.
Next-door neighbors Jonathan and Shelley Palmer are collecting donations for the family. They are accepting non-perishable food items, housewares, toiletries, toys, clothing and other items the family might need.
The children wear boy’s size 4T or 5-6, girl’s size 6-7, boy’s size 10-12 and men’s size 32 pants and large shirts.
Donations can be left on the porch at 103 Mitchell Ave.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.