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June 18, 2008

Beekmantown family loses home to fire

<a href="mailto:avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com">By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG</a>

BEEKMANTOWN — Rebecca Nichols was visiting her sister when she heard that her home was on fire.

“I ran right up here. It was devastating,” the local mother said after firefighters doused her heavily damaged mobile home on Colby Road.

Knowing that her two sons and boyfriend, Ben Boyea, weren’t inside, Nichols said she instantly began fearing for her cat and dog.

“I was crying. I wasn’t sure if they were going to make it.”

As she anxiously waited, firefighters were able to locate the pets and bring them to safety.

“They gave the dog oxygen because of all the smoke,” said Debi Pettis, who was sitting inside the house next door when she heard about the fire and called 911.

“The smoke was rolling out of every window and then the flames started coming out,” said Pettis, who lives in Ellenburg but was visiting a loved one when they were told to evacuate the home in case the fire spread.

“But they (the firefighters) were very quick, and they got it out fast,” she said as Beekmantown, Cumberland Head, West Chazy and Rescue Hose 5 firefighters started rolling up the water hoses and looking over the charred and blackened home.

“I’m just glad that nobody was home and nobody got hurt. And I know she’s really happy they got the cat and dog out.”

Shortly after the 6 p.m. blaze was extinguished, firefighters worked to investigate what sparked the fire that brought Chazy and District No. 3 firefighters to the local stations for standby support.

Nichols said she had no idea what could have started the fire and said only a TV and air conditioner were on at the time.

The putrid smell of smoke still clung to the air as officials walked through the home and gathered in the bedroom where the fire appeared to have originated.

Beekmantown Fire Chief Steve Trombley later said the fire is not considered suspicious but that the exact cause has not been determined.

He said the home, which is owned by Scott Tetreault, is considered a total loss.

Trombley said the firefighters “did an excellent job” getting the fire out and containing it to the bedroom.

“But unfortunately there was heavy smoke and heat damage,” he said.

Nichols, who was not insured, was still trying to absorb the devastation inside as the firefighters finished up their work. She said her family will likely stay with relatives as they recover from the loss.

“I’ve had this (a fire) happen to me before when I was a kid,” she said tearfully.

“I just didn’t think I’d ever have to go through it again.”



E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com

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