SARDIS—Wanda Scruggs and Ian Washington moved to Dallas County because they believed “it was the most beautiful place in the world.” Moving from the rough streets of Cleveland, the couple simply wanted to find a place their daughter “didn’t have to live in fear for her life.”

Early Wednesday morning though, it was the couple’s life that was the most threatened.

At around 4 a.m., Scruggs woke up to the sounds of glass breaking and “popping.” Thinking it was someone breaking in to their Sardis home, she opened her bedroom door to find a wall of flames and a home full of smoke.

“It was the most horrible thing I have ever seen,” Scruggs, who is a severe asthmatic, said. “The fire was everywhere.”

Scruggs woke up Washington and they escaped the home through another door.

“We looked back and the house was fully involved. Even the walls were starting to collapse like a box,” Washington said. “Only by the grace of God was our daughter staying with a friend that night.”

Their daughter, 15-year-old Southside student Daisja Washington, was sleeping over at a friend’s home since the students had a field trip the next morning. She did not find out about the fire until later that afternoon.

“She was absolutely devastated,” Washington said.

According to discussions with the Sardis Volunteer Fire Department, Washington said firefighters believed faulty wiring sparked the fire.

Now the family is unsure of what to do next as the Red Cross assistance is set to expire once they check out of the hotel Friday. In addition to the short-term shelter, the Red Cross has provided some clothing and food.

“We lost everything; furniture, clothes, food, everything,” Washington said. “At this point, I am pretty sure we are going to be sleeping in our car a few days until we can get some things settled.”