Three women escaped injury when a fire began early Thursday in the attic of a six-room house where they lived.

Wilma Minnick, 83, seated on her walker, said she had no insurance because she couldn’t afford it. She had put new siding on the house last year.

“I was aiming to get insurance, but couldn’t afford it yet,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears.

A neighbor noticed smoke rolling from the side of the house at 429 Dayton St., and alerted the occupants to call the fire department and get out of the house.

Acting Assistant Fire Chief Buddy Capps attributed the fire to a short in the wiring in the attic “and some old wiring.”

He estimated damage to the six-room house at $10,000 to the attic area and another $2,000 damage to the kitchen area. He said the house is structurally sound.

“There was so much fire in there that we had to use so much water to put it out that the ceiling has fallen in the kitchen,” Capps told Minnick.

“You need to find someplace to stay all night,” he told the women.

Minnick dropped her head as her tears welled up again.

The fire call came in at 9:39 a.m., and firemen had the fire out by 11 a.m.

Sharon Lacey, who also lives in the Minnick home, said they would have to call around and try to find someplace to live. Also living in the home is Karen Ward. She said five people were in the home at the time of the fire, but only three live there.

Lacey tried to comfort Minnick as each piece of bad news was related, cradling Minnick in her arms, trying to reassure her.

Minnick was cold, and a neighbor wrapped her in a blanket.

Capps said the American Red Cross was called in.

Gibson with the Red Cross said the women were assisted with a motel room and with food. She said the official spokesperson was not in and declined to give specifics.