A week ago tonight, my sister and her husband's home in Terrebonne, Oregon burned to the ground. Fire Marshalls still do not know the cause. My sister's son was visiting and in the guestroom. All 3 got out OK, plus one cat. The other cat (Sherman) was lost in the fire.
The entire home is gone, except for a small part of the master bedroom. The fire department managed to save the garage and shop. My sister's car was severely smoke damaged and covered with soot, that cannot be washed off.
They were all asleep... no smoke alarms went off. Thankfully, her husband was sleeping in a recliner in the living room when the sounds of crackling flames and the smell of smoke woke him up. He got up and ran to the master bedroom and called for my sister. By then, the flames were encroaching on the living room and guest bedroom. My sister ran to get her son out. They all ran out the back door with only their phones, as by then, the entire 2 bedroom wing and kitchen were totally in flames up on the roof and under the house. In fact, my sister didn't even get her phone as it was in the kitchen amidst the flames.
I'm so thankful they are all alive. I don't know what happened with the smoke alarms. I don't know what would have happened if her husband would have been asleep in the master bedroom.
I'm still in shock. I haven't been there yet. My sister is so busy taking care of things like getting new credit cards, debit cards, cash (they had cash that burned in the fire), dealing with insurance, cars needing repairs, etc. that she wants me to wait to come when I can help when they begin to go through the rubble to see what can be saved. The Fire Department, bless their hearts, did save a few of her precious photo albums. That's about it.
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| This is the front entryway to their home. |
My other sister, Linda, has set up a GoFundMe account here:
Any donation will be immensely appreciated. They are learning that there are many expenses not covered by their homeowner's insurance! For example, they will need to rent a home (they are currently staying in a motel), and insurance does NOT pay the deposit for the rental! They have spent their own funds buying new clothes, shoes, toiletries, and other expenditures made every day and not covered by insurance (food, dishes, pans, silverware, household items). This is a real eye opener! People, check your homeowners' insurance!
Thank you for any help you can give.
Hugs.... Marilyn
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Oh my gosh Marilyn. How awful. Thank God they were all ok and got out. So sorry to hear about the other cat. I hope he got out and just ran. I am sure they will do an investigation to see what happened and how the fire started. Things can be replaced but people cannot. I will go to their GO Fund Me page and help them out. Prayers will be lifted for them. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteThank you Kris! You are a sweetheart! I am so so thankful they got out and are safe. Thank you for the prayers.
DeleteThis just breaks my heart so very much, Marilyn! I can't even imagine such a tragedy! When my grandmother's home burnt, it broke our hearts into a million pieces. 75+ years of antiques, treasures, memories - burnt up, gone. But my Gram made it out. Life sustained us, and rebuilding took place, and while we will always mourn the loss, there have been good things that have come out of the loss. Praying for your sister and her husband in these terribly difficult days where hope seems lost, and I am praying for restoration and hope to return. I will send a little something in the mail to your sister. Continuing in prayer for them!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, I remember when your grandmother's home burned down. That's one of the first things I thought of when this happened to my sister. I don't know if they are going to rebuild or not. They have 5 acres with views of some of the Cascade Mountains Range snowcapped peaks. It would be such a huge undertaking and they are not youngun's!
DeleteThank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. Marilyn
I am so glad to hear that they got out unharmed. How awful to loose everything. Most things can be replaced, but not the photos and family heirlooms.
ReplyDeleteAgain, so grateful to hear that they got out, it could have been so much worse.
They are in my prayers.
Thank you Connie. I just got back from there.... was there for 5 days helping out as best as I could. She is still going out to her property, every day, lugging water jugs as they have no power for their well, to water and feed her goats, and wild deer and water her garden. She is so exhausted! I wish I could have done more. It was even more horrible to go see it all in person..... so so sad.. everything gone.. but their garage and shop was saved, though most inside is covered with smoke and soot. The soot is almost impossible to get off some things. I'm just so sad... Marilyn
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ReplyDeleteMarilyn, I saw this post awhile ago and thought I had commented but evidently did not. I am so sorry for what your sister and family are going through. A fire is such a devastating thing. I remember when I was young and my grandparents' home burned down. It is something that you never forget. Glad they were all safe but sorry for the little cat. Maybe she got out and ran from it all, hope so. My thoughts are with you all..xxoJudy
ReplyDeleteJudy thank you for your thoughts. My poor sister, she is having to deal with so much, plus working full time at their business! I did go visit her for 6 days and helped out as much as I could. Seeing it all for real made it much more devastating to me. I can't even imagine how it feels to lose most everything. Marilyn
DeleteOh my gosh, Marilyn- I am just seeing this now. How devastating...two of my nieces lost their homes in the Maui fire. It is so shocking and scary!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Marilyn ... that last anonymous post was from me.
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