Fire destroys Apalachicola family home; Franklin County Sheriff's Office leads fundraiser
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Just two days before Christmas, a home in Apalachicola was burnt to the ground.
On December 23rd at 4 p.m., Natasha Jones, a single mother of three boys, received a life-changing phone call. She heard that the home she had been living in for 20 years was on fire.
Jones knew that no one was inside. After she arrived, she watched for 5 hours as firefighters battled the flames.
'When I first got here, I just, I couldn't believe it. All I seen was smoke when I opened up the back door. I was going to try to run inside, but it was all smoky, so I stayed out,' Apalachicola resident Natasha Jones said.
The Jones family lost everything. The memories, photos, furniture, and Christmas presents, were gone. But the Jones family stayed positive.
'We just didn't let it get to us. We didn't. And we still went on with Christmas. I mean, all my kid's toys, most of it got burnt,' Jones said.
Jones and her children are staying with her sister until April. She says the home was the last thing they had from their mother.
'This is what we call home. This is what our mother left. So, this is our homestead. So it will mean a lot because I mean, look at it. This is nothing that you would want to see that your mother left that burnt down, and nothing's been done about it,' Natasha's sister Juan Jones said.
They are trying to rebuild what they lost. The mobile home did not have insurance. Sheriff A. J. Smith got in touch with Jones's family and wanted to help.
'My job is more than just putting people in jail. It's helping people who need help. And so these folks need help. And I like to be able to be a spokesperson for them, be a voice for them,' Franklin County Sheriff A. J. Smith said.
Jones says her family is hopeful for a new beginning, and they will keep smiling.
'They keep a smile on their face. I'm always going to keep a smile on their face,' Jones said.
The Franklin County Sheriff's office hopes to raise $80,000 so the Jones family can buy a new trailer home. To donate to the Jones family, click
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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