Investigators with the State Bureau of Investigations Arson Division and Mount Airy Fire Department are still trying to determine what caused Roy Dale Collins’ house to go up in flames in the early morning hours of Saturday.

The home, located at 118 Ridgeview, is behind the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department’s substation on Greenhill Road. According to Capt. Danny Vipperman with the Mount Airy Fire Department, a volunteer fireman with the Cana Volunteer Fire Department spotted the flames from U.S. 52 while driving home after his shift at Northern Hospital of Surry County.

Neither Collins nor his son Chad were home when the fire broke out shortly before 3:30 a.m. Collins said he was staying with another son, Jesse Ray Collins, who is getting ready to be deployed overseas. Chad Collins said he was in Virginia with friends and the family’s two dogs that night. Both are glad to have not been home at the time of the fire.

“We are blessed to be breathing and walking around right now,” Chad Collins said.

Roy Collins claims that the house was broken into and then set on fire to cover up the evidence.

“They took $5,000 out of the safe. I don’t lock my doors to my house or my car, but the safe was locked,” Collins said.

It took fireman from five departments to extinguish the fire about 45 minutes after the call was received. Members of the Mount Airy department arrived on the scene six minutes after they received the call.

“It’s a total loss. When we got here, there were flames coming out of the roof,” said Vipperman. “They were using electric base board heat and he was using some wood in a fireplace insert for heat.”

Collins is being helped by the local chapter of the American Red Cross. He was given three nights stay at the Quality Inn on Rockford Street and a debit card with enough money for some food and clothing.

While Collins’ house was insured, he said he would like to find a house to rent, or preferably get a motor home so he can live at the site until his house can be rebuilt. He said he has lived in the brick home from 25 years.

While standing in the front yard of the charred remains of the home, firefighters tried to find the ashes of his wife. They had a pact that whoever died first would be cremated and then they could be buried together. As firefighters located the ashes, tears welled up in Collins’ eyes as he clutched an American Red Cross blanket the volunteer had wrapped around him.

Wanda Smith, the volunteer with the American Red Cross, said monetary donations are needed not only for Collins, but for others who are need.

“I want to give great thanks for the fire departments that answered the call and the police department for the work that they did. I’d like to thank them. They do a good job and a lot of people don’t appreciate all they do,” Collins said. He also wanted to thank the American Red Cross for their help as well.

Collins needs clothing donations. He wears a 38-pant and a 16-shirt. Donations can be dropped at Collins’ room at the Quality Inn for the next two days.

In addition to the Mount Airy Fire Department, the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, the Four Way, Bannertown and Cana, Va. volunteer fire departments also responded. The Mount Airy Police Department and the Mount Airy Rescue Squad also responded to the call.

To make a donation to the Red Cross call 786-4183.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.