A fire has devastated a home in Iola, leaving a family with little more than each other and the clothes on their backs.
“The house was destroyed,” said Donna Culver, Iola resident and American Red Cross volunteer.
The family asked not to be interviewed by the Register at this time, because they are still coping with the disaster. However, they allowed the ruins, at 1209 N. Sycamore St., to be photographed and provided some general information.
The fire was reported to the Iola Fire Department at 3:09 p.m. Monday. One of the children smelled smoke and found the fire, then alerted the rest of the family. They all escaped the blaze safely, but by the time firefighters arrived, it was already out of control.
“The father was at work, so he had his billfold on him,” Culver said. “But otherwise they lost all their belongings.”
The flames completely gutted the structure and generated enough heat to melt the metal numbers on the front door. The heat caused difficulty for firefighters, as well. One firefighter was sent to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion. He was later released with no lasting effects, and there were no other reports of injuries.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but the fire department stated its investigation had not suggested anything suspicious about the origins.
Culver said the family was directed to Red Cross volunteer Gail Ludlum, and both she and Culver have been working to help.
“We put them in the motel last night (Monday) and are assisting them with clothes and food,” she said.
Community support is welcome, and those who wish to offer any assistance may call Culver at 620-365-8106. They are not looking for furniture or household appliances at this time, Culver said, but that may change once they have located a more permanent home.
