Written by Emily Stinnett // Graphic by Cooper Turman
A house fire consumed the home of College of Business instructor Rigel Page on the evening of Sept. 30 in the River Oaks neighborhood. His son Lane Page was home when the fire started.
“I heard what sounded like a gust of wind … and I saw that the whole balcony was on fire,” Lane said.
He got himself and the family’s dog out of the house and immediately dialed 911. The Pages were running their smoker which is believed to have played a part in starting the fire, according to the family.
Rigel Page, his wife and their other two sons were on their way to a football game in Lonoke, Arkansas, when Lane called to inform them that their house was on fire at around 5 p.m. They immediately turned around and drove home to find the Searcy Fire Department putting out the fire. Page said there was nothing left.
Associate professor of communication Dr. Charles Bane lives behind the Pages’ home and noticed the fire shortly after it started. He and his neighbors were hosing down the Pages’ shed in their backyard to hopefully prevent the shed from catching fire. However, the flames spread and the shed was destroyed. Searcy had not received a heavy rain since Sept. 3, causing extreme dryness.
“House fires are awful,” Bane said. “It’s less the physical home, because that can be rebuilt. It’s more the memories that have been lost and the very personal items that cannot be replaced is kind of where the devastation comes from.”
Bane said he and several other neighbors have reached out to the Pages offering anything they could need like a place to stay, clothes, food or meals.
The Pages hope people understand their gratitude for all the support and help.
“The support has been tremendous,” Rigel Page said. “Whether it’s financial or students coming up here and saying we heard and we just want to pray with you. It’s just been tremendous.”
The Pages are living in a rental house until they find a permanent solution. Page said they will most likely rebuild their home on the same property, which could take at least six months.
“It’s unbelievable to us how much people have stepped up to help to a point where we are going to be fine,” Page said. “We are going to be OK.”
