BRONSON — Thursday afternoon the home of Chub and Helen Bolling, Bronson, caught fire and was destroyed. The couple own Bronson Meat Locker. This is the third fire this week in the area. Early Monday morning American Self Storage in Iola caught fire and on Thursday morning the Colony Diner was destroyed. The causes of these fires are also still under investigation.
According to Cara Thomas, the Bolling’s granddaughter and manager of Bolling’s Meat Market and Deli in Iola, the blaze started around 2 p.m. Thursday, the time her grandfather, 74, is usually home taking a mid-day break.
Instead, he had been called away to help a neighbor. On his return home, his truck broke down so he had to walk back to the house. It was during that time frame his home had caught fire.
“Luckily, he wasn’t home,” Thomas said.
Chub also pastors at Paint Creek Church and has performed marriages and funerals in the community.
“They work full-time at the locker and it’s a busy time of year for them there,” Thomas said.
For now, the senior Bollings will be staying with their daughter Amber and Eric Ericson. Their son Mitch and wife Sharon own Moran Locker.
“They lost everything. My grandfather even lost his wallet,” Thomas said. “A situation like this is unfortunate at anytime of the year but this happening around Christmas is hard.”
On Friday, a soup and chili feed to raise funds for the Bollings was at the Marmaton Valley vs. Uniontown game. The proceeds from the feed went to the Bollings.
“Donations of any kind can be taken at Bolling’s Meat Market and deli, Moran Locker, O’Shaughnessy Liquor, Marmaton Valley School District, Uniontown School district and Paint Creek Church of the Brethren,” Thomas said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fires are common during the winter season. Fireplaces, candles and space heaters are sometimes the cause.
“We want Kansans to be warm this winter, but we also want them to be safe. Home heating fires can be prevented if you follow a few simple steps,” said Doug Jorgensen, Kansas State Fire Marshal in a release.
The National Fire Protection Association says to:
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel specified by the manufacturer for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms monthly.
Fire destroys Bolling home in Bronson
