Mississippi house fire a total loss for police captain and his family

A police officer and his family lost most of their possessions in a house fire late Friday into early Saturday morning.

Craig Godbold, whose house is on Creek Bend Road in Natchez, said the fire appears to have started in the carport and spread to the rest of the house just before midnight.

Godbold was a former commander for the Natchez Police Department and is now the Captain of the police department in Vidalia, Lousiana, located across the Mississippi River from Natchez.

He, his wife Teresa, and two of his granddaughters — one who lives with him and one visiting — were at his home when the fire started.

“We’re OK,” Godbold said Saturday morning, adding he had minor burns on his arm but everyone including pets all made it out of the house.

He added the insurance company had not yet been by the house to assess the damages but it seems to be a total loss. Their cars burned up as well.

“It was a big loss. I don’t even know whose clothes and shoes I’m wearing right now,” he said, adding neighbors came and let him borrow clothes to wear. Their granddaughter, who is 12 years old and starting the sixth grade on Thursday, lost her belongings too.

“Theresa and I were in bed, but my granddaughters were up. They saw the fire and woke us up,” he said.

Godbold said the family has a place to stay for the time being.

Natchez Fire Chief Robert Arrington said firefighters were out between midnight and 2 a.m. making sure that the fire was contained.

“We were able to stop the fire spread and limit it to that house and only a portion of the house,” Arrington said. “But you know that water and smoke kind of goes everywhere so it’s hard to say if it’s a total loss. I was really proud of the work my guys did at keeping it contained.”

Arrington said there were no injuries to any of the residents or firefighters apart from Godbold’s minor burn and some respiratory issues.

“AMR was on scene and it was nothing major,” he said.

Arrington also commended the officers of the Vidalia Police Department who were there trying to help.

“The brotherhood surrounded him and offered their support, doing whatever they could,” he said.