Kirk Riemann's family planned to stay home to celebrate Thanksgiving. They instead spent the holiday in a Grand Forks hotel room, eating turkey dinners delivered by the Northlands Rescue Mission just one day after a fire ravaged their home.
The fire at 1010 Monroe Ave. in Presidents Mobile Home Park in south Grand Forks spread underneath the home Wednesday, scorching the floors and a rear wall, and inflicting smoke damage on the contents of the small building. Riemann and his wife were at work as the smoke began to infiltrate a rear bedroom and set off a smoke alarm, but arrived in time to watch firefighters try to prevent further damage as "complete panic" surrounded him.
"Nothing seemed to match what was going on," he said Thursday afternoon. "I think we're still in shock."
Riemann's daughter and her two children, who also live at the home, were inside as the smoke alarms went off, but were able to escape unscathed. A neighbor also had the foresight to close the rear bedroom door, a move that slowed down the fire's travel and likely prevented some damage. But although no one was injured, the hurt is just starting to sink in for the family.
"We're doing a little better than (Wednesday), but we don't know where to go yet," Riemann said, adding that the fire insurance policy for the home was cancelled about a month ago. "If they say the place can be fixed and cleaned up, that would be great. But we just don't know yet."
ADVERTISEMENT
The family has stayed in a hotel courtesy of the local American Red Cross chapter the past two nights, but likely will have to move elsewhere in the next few days. If the house is deemed unsalvageable, Riemann said he and his wife would either search for an apartment or temporarily stay with other family members living in Grand Forks. His daughter would also look for her own residence, he said.
Under investigation
Firefighters were able to stop the blaze quickly, but not before much of the floor was destroyed. Black flame marks were visible on the rear exterior of the home, a sign that the wall would likely need to be replaced. Rick Aamot of the Grand Forks Fire Department said the structural damage to the 1977 house was estimated at $10,000, an estimate that may prove too costly to remodel.
"If there's that much damage, that's not a good sign," Aamot said. "And with smoke damage, that smell gets into everything. That's not something that's easily removed ... but it can be done sometimes."
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, Aamot said.
Riemann also didn't know what could have started the fire, but said that an electrical problem was a possibility. The power shut off temporarily several times earlier this week, he said. Aamot declined to comment on this potential source of the fire.
Spending a holiday in a hotel room was bad enough in itself. But what was lost Wednesday was even worse for the family.
"It was our grandson's birthday too of all things. We had the place all set up to celebrate," Riemann said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The family went back to the home Thursday morning to salvage what they could, which unfortunately didn't amount to much.
"When you come out of there, it feels like you just inhaled six packs of cigarettes at once," Riemann said. "I don't think we'll get too much out of there."
A donation fund to assist the family is being set up through United Lutheran Church, located at 324 Chestnut St. in Grand Forks. Further benefit information will be published in the Herald as information is available.
