DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Neighbors in the Milmor Village Mobile Home Park are devastated after their elderly neighbor Richard Dickerson didn’t make it out alive in a house fire.

“You see this stuff on the news but you never expect to see it across the street,” Steven Poll said.

“It’s sad and he’s going to be missed,” Tami Matthews said.

Neighbors were woken up around 4 a.m Saturday morning to what sounded like fireworks going off.

“My bedroom over here was lit up pretty good, got up looked out the window, and saw the right end of the trailer was pretty much engulfed in flames,” Poll said.

“Called the fire department it was bout four or 5 fire trucks that came out and it was so bad,” Matthews said.

First responders arrived on the scene quickly to put the fire out and suddenly they found out Dickerson was unable to get out due to being handicapped.

Mathews said she will miss his kindness in their community and most importantly going over and beyond to help him.

“I would fix him plates and stuff and people around here because he couldn’t get out but he was a sweet man.

He also owned a dog who has yet to be found.

“Rosie is so sweet, one of the neighbors posted it on Facebook so hopefully when they find her they will let us know,” She said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd said Dickerson’s body has been sent for an autopsy.