No injuries reported in house fire on Fairground Street

VICKSBURG, Miss. (Vicksburg Daily News)–A home suffered significant damage from a fire just before 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, but firefighter’s say that no one was injured in the blaze.

(Photo by Marcus James)

According to initial reports, Kofi Louis was watching tv when the smell of gas was caught coming from the direction of the stove. Soon after, an explosion was heard which led Louis to run outside.

He was the only one in the home.

(Photo by Marcus James)

Louis was a victim of an armed robbery last October. Louis was pushed off his bike by a robber who pulled a gun on him before stealing his bike. The thief also managed to get away with Louis’s keychain with his house key, which left his home vulnerable to theft.

Kofi Louis is all smiles on his new bicycle (photo by David Day).

The community rallied around young Louis and set up a GoFundMe to help him raise money for a new bike. Support was obtained from many members of the community, as well as Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs, Vicksburg Police Chief Milton Moore, Officer Michael Battle, Crime Prevention Specialist Danielle Williams and Chris Gilmer with Vicksburg Locksmith.

Michael Battle, Angela Shelby, Danielle Williams, Reed Birdsong, Milton Moore, Kofi Louis, Jerry Briggs, Linda Shows, Alicia Louis, Thomas Parker, Martin Pace, Percy Wright, and Cora Collins.

The communities outpouring support touched the Louis family and helped them turn a negative experience into a positive one.