FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida military veteran said he is counting his blessings after a fire that broke out inside his house sent him to the hospital and left him without a home.
7News cameras captured 76-year-old Alton Spratley wearing no shoes, shortly arriving home from the hospital, as he walked through the mud with the assistance of a walker through what’s left of his belongings at his property near Fort Lauderdale, Friday afternoon.
As he struggled to find anything he could salvage, he described the circumstances behind the fire.
“I was cooking a bag of popcorn, and it caught fire, and then it burned up the microwave and plastic dripping down on the floor,” he said.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene along Southwest 44th Avenue and 16th Street in Broadview Park, just after 10 p.m., Thursday.
Spratley was able to get out of the house safely.
Paramedics transported him to Broward Health Medical Center where he was treated for smoke inhalation and released after spending the night there.
His friends said they are shocked by the turn of events but relieved he is OK.
A woman who identified herself as Maddie stood in disbelief in front of the charred remains of Spratley’s home.
“I can’t believe this. We just saw him last night,” she said. “I guess he was cooking, and that’s what happened.”
“Thank God. That’s a blessing in disguise. That’s the Man upstairs getting him out in time,” said said Heather Fay, a friend of Spratley.
Spratley, who is known around the neighborhood as Bob, is a veteran. He spends most his time at the American Legion just down the street from his home.
When asked how long he has known Spratley, American Legion Cmdr. Buddy Jervah said, “About 20 years.”
That’s about as long as Spratley has lived in this neighborhood, his friends said.
“He has no family,” said Fay. “He looked after his neighbors. He’d do stuff for you.”
But firefighters said it’s the way he’s been living that almost prevented him from escaping the flames.
Officials said the house was so full of stuff, all unrecognizable now, that rescue crews had a difficult time entering the residence.
Friends and neighbors said he barely had room to sleep.
“Every time I would see him, he would always be outside because you could never go in because there was only one path to get through his house,” said Fay.
“You could see that there’s absolutely nowhere to walk. That’s how it was when you went inside his house,” said Maddie. “There was nowhere to walk. He would lay down in the front there. It’s just very sad, it was really sad.”
The house has been declared uninhabitable.
Jervah said Spratley has faced other challenges since he has known him.
“Awesome guy, he’s been around. He fought cancer for a while. He beat it,” he said. “He was going to the VA [Hospital] in Miami. They were taking good care of him.”
Spratley’s friends at the American Legion said they will do what they can to help him get back on his feet.
“I guess he’s going to need our help right now,” said Jervah. “I’ll figure out what we can do for him in the meantime.”
But in the meantime, first things first.
“I’m gonna go in and get my glasses first. Then I’m gonna get my shoes,” said Spratley.
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