March 28, 2024

Woman escapes house fire with aid of Good Samaritan

Colfax church sponsoring gift card drive for family

COLFAX — For one resident affected by Wednesday’s house fire south of Colfax, the old phrase “Good Samaritan” may have taken on a new meaning.

After the fire was under control Wednesday, which caused extensive damage to the house at 605 Highway 117 S., it was released that the homeowner’s daughter, 18-year-old Brooklyn Rawlins, was home at the time of the blaze but made it out unharmed.

According to the Jasper County Chief Deputy Sheriff Duane Rozendaal, she escaped thanks to a bystander from the Prairie City area who was driving by and saw the fire. The passerby entered the home and woke the 18-year-old who made it to safety.

Brooklyn’s father, Colfax-Mingo school board member Skylar Rawlins, said Thursday his daughter was pretty shaken up, but was checked out at the scene and appeared to be OK.

He said a member of the Prairie City police department also entered the home, which was filled with smoke, to get Brooklyn to safety.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people. We’re very thankful for everyone’s calls and text messages,” Skylar said. “For the most part, we got most of our clothes and keepsakes out yesterday. We’re just trying to figure out a game plan.”

Fire and rescue crews from as far away as Bondurant and Mitchellville responded to the blaze just south of Colfax.

The fire was reported at 9:06 a.m. Wednesday. Rozendaal said it reportedly began in the attached garage, and due to high winds, quickly spread to the house and an RV trailer parked in the driveway. An exact cause is not yet known, and an official damage estimate has not been determined.

Highway 117 between Colfax and Prairie City was shut down as fire crews faced high winds which caused smoke from the blaze to blow across the road and temperatures in the single digits. Rozendaal said the road reopened around noon Wednesday.

No one was injured in the fire, but the Prairie City police chief was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

Colfax Fire Department was the first emergency personnel on scene. Prairie City police and fire, Baxter Police and fire, Newton Fire Department, Bondurant Fire Department, Mitchellville Fire Department, Iowa State Patrol, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and Alliant Energy all assisted on scene.

The community is already beginning to rally around the Rawlins family. The AWANA Club at the Colfax First Baptist Church announced on its Facebook page Wednesday it is holding a gift card drive to help the Rawlins as they rebuild from the costly fire.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Skylar & Heather Rawlins Family in loss of their home by fire this morning,” the post read. “We, as an AWANA Club and church family, would like to help the Rawlins Family by collecting money and gift cards tonight — Jan. 4 — and next week — Jan. 11. If you would like to donate, please take the gift card or money to the AWANA office during AWANA. Thank you and please keep Skylar, Heather, Brooklyn, Braedynn, Abi and Aubrey in your thoughts and prayers!”

To donate, the Colfax First Baptist Church can be reached at 515-674-3752.

Contact Mike Mendenhall at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com