Fund to help woman who lost home in fire

Paula Shipley with her cat Mittens outside her Cherryville home that was destroyed in a Sunday fire.

Friends of a Cherryville woman who lost everything she owns in a house fire Sunday morning have set up a fund for others to provide help.

Paula Shipley was asleep about 12:30 a.m. when her kitten woke her up, alerting her to a fire that was consuming her mobile home. She and the cat escaped, but two of her other pets died and the home was a total loss.

Fire investigators say the cause is undetermined, but believe faulty wiring may have been to blame.

Anyone who wants to help can make a donation to the Paula Shipley Fire Fund at any Woodforest National Bank, which has branches inside the Wal-Mart stores in Cherryville, Shelby and Belmont.

Shipley is sleeping on the couch at her nephew and nieces home in Kings Mountain but said she is still in need of clothes and other basic necessities. She had to cut off much of her hair because it was burned while she was escaping her home.

She had insurance, but said shes learned shell only receive a nominal amount to replace all the things she lost.

Im very optimistic, said Shipley, who has a history of helping others and of fostering abused animals. I look at the fact that Im just blessed to have the kitten and blessed that Im alive.

Shipley can also be reached directly at 704-802-4004.

Reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.

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Fund to help woman who lost home in fire