Family burned out of home

BROCKTON — When 12-year-olds Danielle Reid and Brittany Pulley go to school Monday, they plan to ask their principal at the South Junior High School for permission to run a fundraiser.

The girls want to help classmate Myles Bull, who, along with his brother, his mother, and her fiance, were burned out of their home at 111 West Chestnut St. Friday night.

"I've lived here for five years and been good friends with Myles," Danielle said.

Danielle discovered the fire just after 7 p.m. Friday as she and her mother, Debbie, were leaving their home across the street. They ran over to the smoky house, pounded on the door and called 911.

"We had to get back because the windows were exploding," Debbie Reid said.

No one was home at the time of the fire.

Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Murphy said the fire, which raced through the home, was believed to have started in a first-floor kitchen at the 11/2-story white house with green shutters.

"It ran up the walls inside and out to the peak of the gables," Murphy said. "It burned the ceiling right down in the kitchen."

Flames snaked up the chimney to the attic and also ran across the first-floor ceiling to another room on that floor.

"Everywhere we looked there was fire," Murphy said.

Murphy said the fire, which was being investigated Friday night, appeared to be accidental.

Smoke still poured from the eaves about an hour after the fire was reported at 7:06 p.m. One side of the home was charred and the siding melted.

Firefighters from five companies battled the blaze. Gas and power to the home was shut off.

As firefighters worked, homeowner Dayanta Box-Bull sat on the steps of the Reid's home, looking on, as did a small crowd along the street.

Box-Bull had just returned from dropping off one of her sons at the Charlie Horse in West Bridgewater and came home to find the fire. She had been preparing to cook dinner before running him out and said she thought she had turned the stove off.

"My kids weren't in there and that's all I care about," Box-Bull said of sons Myles, 12; Marcus, 15, and Michael, 19.

Her fiance, who declined to be identified, also returned home to find the fire.

"I'm just in awe," he said, looking at the ravaged home.

Box-Bull, who owns 3M Transportation, has lived in the home since 1989. The Fire Department called the American Red Cross for disaster assistance for the family.

"There was so much smoke coming out," Danielle said.

She and her friend Brittany plan to ask their principal Keith Cardone if they can collect donations or give proceeds toward school store sales to help the family.