Florida Firefighter Burned in House Blaze

Aug. 13--A firefighter was injured by a rush of steam that resulted from the mix of fire and water as he battled a house fire Monday. James Freudenberg was taken by helicopter to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition as of early that afternoon. His hands and arms likely suffered the worst damage, according to Jackson County Fire Rescue Chief Tony Wesley. Freudenberg was battling the blaze that seriously damaged the home of Cottondale-area residents Mike and Tammy Braxton.

Braxton said Freudenberg fell down the stairs inside his two-story home and landed at his feet after the steam engulfed him. Braxton was standing just outside the front door, he said, trying to help with a fire hose and giving Freudenberg information to help him find his way through the home just before the incident occurred.

"I didn't want him to go in," Braxton said. "I pray that he's going to be OK."

Jackson County Fire Rescue and fire teams from Alford, Campbellton, Cottondale, Graceville and Chipley responded to the fire at the roughly 2,900 square-foot brick and metal home, located at 3136 Aycock Rd. The fire call came in just before 11 a.m., and JCFR Chief Tony Wesley estimates that the teams attacked the fire with about 20,000 gallons of water.

As mid-afternoon, he said, the fire's probable cause and point of origin had not been determined. The state fire marshal's office was to conduct a routine investigation, Wesley said.

Saying he remains concerned for Freudenberg,Braxton praised the fire team for their effort and was grateful also to his neighbor, Gina Coopock, who rescued his five dogs from the house, going in to get them after the house had filled with smoke.

Braxton's son-in-law, William Mathis, was able to save some family pictures and the Braxton's Christmas tree -- which stayed decorated year-round in a room the family rarely uses -- and the vintage ornaments that adorned it. Braxton said his wife, Tammy, had collected those over the years as their children -- daughter Rexanne Mathis and son Patrick Braxton -- grew up.

Braxton said he and his wife will probably stay in a family member's borrowed motor home, at least temporarily, while they try to decide on more permanent living arrangements. Braxton said he designed and built the home in 1989, shaping it from the ideas he and his wife collected as various homes caught their attention in their casual travels.

Braxton had re-opened his Cottondale seafood restaurant just two weeks ago after an extended closure. He said he plans to keep that open and running as he sorts out his long-term housing plans.

Braxton was at his restaurant when someone came in to tell him his house was on fire. He said he'd left home 10 to 15 minutes earlier, seeing no indication when he left there that something was wrong. His wife was already at work; she's a teacher at Cottondale High School and the staff and faculty there has already returned for the start of a new academic year.

Copyright 2013 - Jackson County Floridan, Marianna, Fla.