House fire survivor describes blaze in Jourdan River Shores

When what sounded like an explosion lit up the dark night sky in Jourdan River Shores, dozens of people — neighbors and people driving along Mississippi 603 — stopped to help as a waterfront home became engulfed in flames.

Two neighbors who lived across the river from the home rushed over and began knocking on the front door to wake up the people inside. Others outside the home blared their homes as the fire raged — and spread.

The Saturday night blaze in the Kiln community would take the lives of two people visiting the Mississippi Coast and a pet dog.

A survivor of the blaze, which destroyed two homes and severely damaged another, told the Sun Herald he believes the fire started underneath one of the houses, which was elevated for flood protection.

The survivor, who wished not to be identified, said about 30 people showed up in an effort to get residents to safety. The stairs to the home where the fire originated collapsed after one survivor was able to escape.

The man and woman who died, identified as Mark and Candace Failor, by Hancock County Coroner Jeff Hair, were from Magee, Mississippi and visiting Jourdan River Shores.

The neighborhood is along the Jourdan River and is comprised of multiple streets lined by mostly wood-framed homes, a majority of which are on stilts.

A portion of the highway was closed for hours Saturday night and into Sunday morning as first responders contained the blaze.

On Tuesday, insurance adjusters were out near the site of the fire to survey the damage left behind, one of whom described two of the homes as total losses. The third home suffered severe heat damage.

On the lot where the fire is believed to have originated, little is left, including a charred car, a barbecue grill metal shrapnel.

The survivor said the only remains he has left are his boat and partially-melted car.

The official cause of the fire is still under investigation. Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam told the Sun Herald that the Hancock County Emergency Operations Center is leading the investigation.

The Sun Herald has reached out to county Emergency Manager Brian “Hootie” Adam for comment.