House fire leaves family of 10 homeless

JOHN DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

HOUSTON -- A house fire in Houston Friday night left a family of 10 homeless, Mat-Su Central Fire Chief Jack Krill said Monday.

Tim and Deena West and their eight children, ages ranging from two to 22, lost their single-story home in a fire that burned the house to the ground, officials said Monday.

Houston Deputy Fire Chief and city mayor Dale Adams said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time, in part because the 24-by-24 structure was completely destroyed, but he suspects it may have been a wood stove that started the blaze.

The house, which Krill believed was still partially under construction, was set back in the woods some 750 feet off the Parks highway; it was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived around 6:30 p.m. in temperatures of about 10 to 12 degrees, Krill said.

Firefighters managed to stop the fire before it spread to two mobile-home trailers situated approximately 15 feet from the house. The trailers contained personal items and other property belonging to the family.

Four small propane tanks next to the house were directly exposed to the flames, Krill said. Two of these propane tanks came into contact with the flame, causing the tops to pop off and flames to shoot into the air.

About 16 firefighters from Houston, Big Lake, Meadow Lakes and Willow fire departments, including five firefighters from Central Mat-Su Fire Department, responded with four water tankers, one fire engine, one rescue vehicle and one ambulance, Krill said.

Several family members sustained minor injuries and were treated Friday night at Valley Hospital, Red Cross Mat-Su branch manager Tonya Larrabee-Boehm said. Over the weekend, the Red Cross put the Wests up in a hotel and has provided them with food, clothing, shoes and winter coats. The Red Cross will be working with the Wests on long-term plans once they have established permanent housing, Boehm said. Tim West reportedly told Boehm he works at Wal-Mart in Wasilla.