BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
A beloved cook at the Smoke House Pit Barbecue restaurant in Millbrook lost his home and suffered burns after a gas leak that led to a fire Wednesday morning.
Tripp Hammon, 47, was living in a fifth wheel travel trailer and asleep when a gas leak caused the fire. The trailer was located on Brookside Drive in Millbrook, behind Brookside Funeral Home.
He was asleep at the time, but awoke to the trailer filled with smoke, and on fire. He was able to get out of the trailer, which was eventually all but destroyed. His experience left him with second degree burns on his feet and forearms.
Celeste Russo, an owner of Smokehouse, has established a GoFundMe account and has been working to find Tripp a new place to live, as well as trying to help him with expenses.
You can see the GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/tripp-hammond?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer
According to Millbrook Fire Marshall Doyle Campbell, the call for help came around 3:34 a.m. Aug. 16 and firefighters were quickly on scene. They had the fire under control in about five minutes. Campbell said the fire was accidental and started with a gas leak behind the stove in the trailer.
Tripp was able to escape with his life, his phone, his wallet and a pair of shoes. In general, he has lost everything he owned.
He received medical care but will require further doctor visits.
Tripp is known as the Breakfast Guy, as he prepares breakfast items at Smoke House BBQ.
He has received some assistance from Red Cross, and customers are also stepping in to try and find him a place to live, Russo said.
Three Broke Girls will be at Smokehouse Saturday Aug. 26 from 6-9 p.m. for a benefit fundraiser. The restaurant will put 15 percent of all proceeds from that night towards help for Tripp.
