Blaze comes back
BRIAN WALKER/Staff writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 9 months AGO
<p>A firefighter with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue works to access the attic of a house on Grand Tour Drive in Hayden on Monday afternoon. Crews responded to the same house and extinguished a blaze and cleared the scene earlier Monday morning. A second fire was sparked later in the day, totally destroying the home.</p>
<p>Crews from Northern Lake Fire District, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and Timberlake Fire Protection District work a house fire from multiple directions.</p>
<p>Division Chief for Northern Lake Fire District Brad Van Ert coordinates strategy over his radio while battling a fire at a Hayden home.</p>
<p>Northern Lakes Fire District paramedic firefighter Matt Usher takes a short break from fighting a house fire on Monday.</p>
GARWOOD - A fire that caused heavy damage to the contents of a mobile home near Garwood on Monday morning rekindled after firefighters left, and resulted in significant structural damage.
"It's our worst nightmare, aside from the loss of life," Northern Lakes Fire District spokesman Jim Lyon said.
Lyon said fire crews remained at the double-wide mobile home at 2054 E. Grand Tour Drive off Hudlow Road east of U.S. 95 for at least an hour after the original fire was extinguished. He said firefighters had checked for hot-spots before leaving.
"I wouldn't call it a total loss, but there's certainly major structural damage now," Lyon said.
The likely cause of the original fire was associated with the dryer that had been running.
Evelyn Scrabeck, a single mom who lives at the home, was watching her two grandchildren, ages 1 and 3, and immediately evacuated with them after seeing fire come from the dryer.
"She smelled smoke, then saw food items on the dryer on fire," Lyon said. "She had just gone to the store and placed the food items on the dryer. She said that she had been having some operational problems with the dryer."
The original fire reported at 8:45 a.m. caused heavy damage to the contents of the utility room and the kitchen. A cat and fish died during the incident, but two dogs and a turtle survived.
"The structure itself was in fairly good shape and the fire had not extended to the attic," Lyon said.
Later, a sister of Scrabeck went to the home in the afternoon to salvage items.
"When she went outside, she saw a small puff of smoke coming from the roof and called 911," Lyon said. "The fire had gotten into the attic."
Lyon said the total loss is significant, but declined to tie an estimated dollar figure to it.
Scrabeck lives at the home with her two children. She told firefighters that she doesn't have insurance.
Lyon said Scrabeck has family in the area to assist her in the interim. A benefit account has been set up at Wells Fargo branches in her name.
• How to help
An account has been established at local Wells Fargo branches as the Evelyn Scrabeck Benefit Donation Account. Donation questions should be directed toward Brian Scheindler at 772-4022.
ARTICLES BY BRIAN WALKER/STAFF WRITER
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