Wednesday fire devastates Soapstone Road home

PALMER -- Fire consumed a Palmer home off the Glenn Highway Wednesday afternoon, destroying all the property inside before emergency crews could respond.

At about 1:30 p.m., the Palmer Fire Department responded to an emergency call at the family home of Jack Ouzts, located at the juncture of Soapstone and McCarrey Roads. The roof and floor were gone by the time crews arrived, said Dan Contini, Palmer fire chief.

"We're really not sure what caused the fire yet, but we've started to run down a few ideas," Contini said. "The house was back from the road. It had been burning for a while. People wouldn't have noticed the fire unless they looked directly at it from the road."

Fire crews extinguished the flame but were not able to save any of the property inside. The Ouzts were not home at the time, but their pets were trapped inside -- one cat and an 18-inch lizard.

Jack Ouzts said he has received many calls from friends and others who heard of their loss. Some 40 years of mementos and collectibles were destroyed, he said. People have made generous offers to help the family replace lost possessions and they were able to accept a few of those offers.

"We appreciate the thoughtfulness very much, but we were fortunate enough to have insurance and we have a grown daughter who we are staying with right now," Ouzts said. "I can't tell you how it felt to get up and go to work and then receive a call that our house was on fire. But people have come through and offered us everything in the world. I would rather they donate to a family that needs it more."

Jack and Peggy Ouzts will be moving to an apartment offered by one of their friends until they can rebuild.