Loyal Family's Home Destroyed in Tuesday Morning Fire
Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 -- 9:49 AM
-A Town of Loyal family suffered a devastating loss Tuesday morning as their home was completely destroyed by a fire.The fire occurred around 5:45am on Tuesday at the home of Pat and Laurie Weinfurter located on 26 Road southeast of Loyal. The owner of the home could smell smoke and when he opened a door to his garage, smoke filled the house.
Dave Esselman, second captain and safety officer for the Loyal Fire Department, mentioned the challenges the departments faced in fighting the blaze.
Esselman said, "We faced a lot of challenges in the fire. Our first attack engine, that I was running, froze and we weren't able to continue. We had Spencer coming for mutual aid and I radioed them to get them prepared to set up and take over the attack, which they did. They had issues, or almost had issues, in getting their pump rolling properly. Severe cold just hampered everything that we tired to do as far as nozzles freezing and hoses freezing up as soon as we shut down."
Pat was able to get his three daughters out of the home and his wife was at work, but their 5 pets, including 3 cats and 2 dogs, were killed. The fire spread quickly due to the strong north winds.
Esselman says the blaze broke out in a three-car garage attached to the home.
Esselman continued, "The house was a total loss, the camper, the garage, the vehicles inside. Our main concern that was everyone got out and they were safe, but they have nothing. It is gone. It started in the garage area, but we're not real sure at this time if it was a wood stove that was in there or if it was electrical or some combination of the two. But, talking to the homeowner, their didn't seem to be anything plugged in the night before that alarmed us or made us suspicious of a certain object starting it. But, we do know that it started in the garage area and spread into the house."
The Loyal, Granton, Spencer, Chili and Greenwood Fire Departments assisted with the fire, but there is no word on the cause besides the speculation it may have been electrical. The family also lost the garage, a camper and vehicles.
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