By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
March 20, 2001
DEKALB As Kemper County officials investigate a weekend fire that destroyed a law enforcement officer's home, co-workers are trying to help the family.
Kemper County Chief Deputy Ronnie Rankins' home, located off Old Jackson Road west of DeKalb in the New Hope community, burned at about 8:15 Saturday night, said Deputy David Taylor.
Taylor said the cause of the blaze is unknown.
He said no one was home when the fire began, and no one was injured. Rankins lived there with his wife, Kemper County dispatcher Kristi Rankins, and their four children, who range in age from 1 to 16 years old, Taylor said.
Rankins, 34, wears size 40 waist-32 long pants, an XL or size 18 1/2 shirt and an 11 medium shoe. Kristi Rankins, 32, wears a size 24 dress, 3X in pants and shirts and an 8 1/2 shoe.
Their 1-year-old daughter wears size 2 toddler in dresses, pants and shirts, a size 5 in diapers and 7 shoes. Their 8-year-old daughter wears 7-8 misses' dresses, a ladies' 7-8 in pants, medium shirt and size 7 shoes.
Their 11-year-old son wears 18 boys pants, large shirts and men's size 8 shoes, and their 16-year-old daughter wears ladies' size 20 dresses and pants. She can also wear a men's 40 in pants. She wears a 2X shirt and a 10 1/2 shoe.
Anyone interested in making cash or clothing donations may mail them to the Kemper County Sheriff's Department: Route 2, Box 28-A; DeKalb, MS 39328, or go by the office at the Mike McKee Detention Center on Highway 16 West next to the National Guard Armory. For more information, call the sheriff's department at 743-2255.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.