A Selma family is coping with the loss of their home after a fire destroyed it Sunday.

Joe Shivers’ home, a home he shared with his three daughters was left in shambles after it was engulfed in flames. The family walked away from the fire with no injuries, but the house could not be saved.

“I was shocked when I saw it,” Shivers’ sister Joyce Harris said. “I was just thankful that the Lord had spared them, and we didn’t have to come over and try to identify bodies, which is what some many other who had fire have had to do.”

Shivers said two of his three daughters, who are ages 8, 13 and 15, smelled the smoke in the room. He went to their room to check it out, but initially couldn’t detect anything strange.

Moments later he could smell the fire and noticed the blaze behind his child’s mattress.

“I tried to fight it for a while, but the smoke got next to me and I had to come out,” Shivers said.

He said he and his daughters quickly left their home with only the clothes on their bodies.

“I made sure all of them were okay,” Shivers said. That was my main goal.”

Although Shivers’ daughters tell him how disappointed they are they lost all of their belongings, including their Christmas tree and presents, he said he hugs them and reminds them what matters most is the family survived the devastating fire.

“Sometimes tragedy happens in life,” Shivers’ said. “I constantly talk to them, and let them know that as long as we have life in our body we will maintain.”

Shivers, who is living at his mother’s home along with his daughters, said he is still in the process of talking to his insurance company to figure out what he should do next.

He said his biggest concern is getting his children through an incident he said has traumatized them.

Shivers the sight of flames easily causes the girls to cry as they recall the night of the fire.

“Every time there is fire or a candlelight, it triggers it,” Shivers said.

Harris said she is so appreciative that Potter Station Fire Department, who she said responded to the fire within 10 minutes of the call, was there to stop the fire.

Anyone interest in donating to the Shivers family can send monetary donations to any Wells Fargo bank and all Riverdale Credit Union in the Selma area.

Those interested in giving monetary donations and items, such as clothes and shoes, should contact Harris at 349-1222.