Posted: 8/7/07
Family displaced after home burns
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
A Caledonia family is looking for housing after fire claimed the home they were renting on Sunday night.
Lakisha McCloud, who is an assistant manager at Dollar General, told The Argus that she was at work when her husband Elmer called and told her the house was burning. He was so upset that she couldnít determine whether the kids were okay, she recounted.
As it turns out, her seven year old daughter, Lakyia, smelled smoke and led her three-year-old daughter, Aysya, out of the house. Her husband had left briefly to pick up some items for dinner, she said. The fire apparently started on the stove, she said.
McCloud said that she had planned to buy rentersí insurance when her next payday came.
"I didnít get it in time," she said.
There were four children living in the house; two were at friendsí houses when the fire broke out. Her oldest child, Andrell Hudson, just moved to Sioux Falls to start college and play football for Augustana. McCloud said he felt bad about losing his diploma and other certificates of achievement that he had earned while in high school. Sheís hoping the school will issue another diploma for him.
The family was put up at the Red Carpet Inn and will probably end up staying with friends until they find another house. The Red Cross has provided funds to buy necessities.
McCloud said that when she and her family moved to town, many people reached out to them. With their recent loss, people are responding with offers of help.
"This is a great community," she said. "I am sure that weíll get plenty of help."
House "fully involved" when fire trucks arrived
Caledonia Fire Chief Chuck Gavin had just returned to Caledonia from La Crosse where he had been awaiting the birth of his first grandchild when the call came in at about 6:30 p.m.
The house was fully involved when the trucks arrived on the scene, and the men worked quickly to put the fire out.
However, because of the age of the home, there were no fire stops between floors and the fire traveled quickly from one floor to another.
"It was tough to put out," said Gavin.
Fire departments from Hokah and Spring Grove responded to assist the Caledonia fire fighters in removing the ceilings, walls, and insulation.
"It is hard, hot work," said Gavin.
At about 2 a.m., the Caledonia Fire Department was called back to the scene because the fire had rekindled in a stack of books.
It is normal procedure for the state fire marshal to be called in to investigate, but Gavin said that it is likely that the fire was caused by something left unattended on the stove.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com