ORANGE BEACH, AL — Jim MacQueen has lived at 29770 Hayden Drive in the Bear Point neighborhood since July of 1996. His house had a for sale sign in front of it.

On May 11 he was working at the western edge of his well-cared-for yard when a utility crew – putting in a gas line in front of his house – hollered to get his attention.

“I was on the end of the yard spraying weeds,” MacQueen said.

Workers were pointing to the eastern eve of his house where flames were already coming out.

“I ran upstairs and called 911 on the landline so they would know my 911 address, grabbed my money clip and my glasses,” he said.

By the time Orange Beach Fire and Rescue crews arrived, flames had rapidly spread.

“It went very quick,” MacQueen said. “The house is more than 20 years old, the wood in it’s dry, it’s hot. If it gets started, it’s going to go quick.”

After making the call and grabbing those items, MacQueen went underneath to the home’s storage and began taking out flammables and other yard equipment.

“I went out to turn off the natural gas at the tank, then went around back to turn off the breaker for the electricity,” he said.

Orange Beach Fire Marshal Craig Stephenson said it was too early to speculate on a cause, but it was likely the house would be a total loss.

Crews got the call just after noon on May 11 and arrived on the scene shortly thereafter.