House Fire

[T. Sackett]

     There is a house fire at 321 North Oak Street, there in Howard.  Does anyone have any information to add?

[sixdogsmom]

The trucks just left Moline to help fight the fire.

[flo]

this info is from the scanner only - they are having a lot of trouble with low water pressure.  I can smell the smoke inside my house, although right now the smoke outside is pretty well cleared out of the air.  For awhile it looked like a dense fog outside and I am about 6 or 7 blocks SW of the fire.  Talk on the scanner has slowed down quite a bit also.  I haven't lived in Howard long enough to know where anybody lives other than close friends and relatives, so have no idea whose home burned.

[Mom70x7]

Ed and Kathy Price live at 320 N Oak - so this would be across the street from them.

Anyone know who???

[Teresa]

It is where Rick and Marla Downerd used to live. ( Where Butch and Wanda Dilli used to live before that)
We were over at Derek and Rochelle's tonight having a Pinochle card party and all of a sudden the sirens went off and the guys all flew into action. Cards were thrown down and coats and shoes were being tossed on.
We had to laugh because Shery Carey was hollering at Curtis as he was at the end of the porch .. " Curtis!! Come back in here and get your real shoes.. You still have your slippers on"! In all the rush he had grabbed his coat but forgot to put his real shoes on. LOL
But when those whistles go off.. they don't waste a minute.

We girls didn't follow as Mason was ready for bed and it was raining. So about 30 minutes after they left,  I called Mark to check on the statis and he said that the house was burning from the inside and flames were coming out the chimney. Some of them went inside to fight the fire from the inside and that they had to go get more air packs. I don't know who all went inside the house to try to put the fire out internally.  I know that Derek was one of them and I'll find out who else in the morning.
Dave Denton actually crawled up on the top of the roof to shoot the hose down the top of the chimney!  Now that took some bravery..as the roof was sagging when he did it.
About 12:30 am, Derek's blood sugar dropped dangerously low and he got sick, so they sent him home. The fire was pretty much out and over by then when he walked into the house.  Didn't talk to much to him as he was white as a ghost and sick, so Shery and I left and we drove down by the house and they were rolling up the hoses and some were checking for hot spots.

I have said it once and I will say it again.
We have an awesome group of volunteer men on our fire dept.
I am always so very very proud of them.

PS~~ Just for public record.. Sam Oakleaf and I were partners and we were kicking butt and taking names. I had a good hand that I didn't get to play when the fire whistle went off. ! But ... I guess fighting fire comes before playing cards.   

I'll have Danny Cookson get on here in the morning and post and give you the first hand details. ..cause I've told you all I know.

[frawin]

I was born in that house. My folks  lived there and on the Farm South of West Elk High School in the late 20s, 30s and 40s. I was born the day they moved from the farm back to town. I think 7 of us were born in that house.
Frank Winn

[Teresa]

I just talked to son #1 ..Danny and he said he would get on later on this evening and post . He was inside fighting the fire the whole time . He said he had five 30 minute airpacks and ran out at the end. before he could get outside he took 2 breaths of "hot air" ..so his lungs were sore today and his voice is raspy, but he said he was doing ok.
They saved the house structure so it can be rebuilt I guess. That is all I know .. he will fill you in on the details later on.

[Diane Amberg]

It sounds like your guys did a good job on that fire. I'd love to know more details. Apparently they were very successful with their interior attack. I'm sorry Danny got a bit smoked up. Do you have people (or firefighters) to refill their air packs at the scene? Some of our companies here have Jr. members or cadets that do that.

[Ole Granny]

Frank,

Sorry about your old house.  Our old home in Moline burned on New Year's Eve years ago. So cold everything was just covered in ice.  I still have the memories of every little nook and cranny. but is still sad to loose the house even though the family did not own it at that time.  I can still run through the corn playing hide n seek in my mind.  (Of course, my body really does not like to run now anyway.)   My grandparents old house in Elk Falls burned years ago.  The little barn is still there and the cellar.  A mobile home is in the spot where the house was.  I still drive by when there to see the place and remember.  I can still remember Grandma and I picking a green pepper and cleaning it with water from the well.  Then she cut it and we ate it right by the well.

[frawin]

Thanks Alice, I was born in that house but I don't remember living in it, I was to little then. The house I grew up in was a different one. Your Dad painted the one I grew up in a couple of times, I always enjoyed Marion being there as he liked youg people ands it was always fun to get to visit with him.. I have so many fond memories of my years growing up in Howard, and all of my time with family and the really neat people in the area. And all of those good looking Moline girls, you included.
Frank