Mary Kay Raymond's Home Destroyed By Fire Early This Morning

[Henry]

Hi All,

My daughter was awakened about 1:30 this morning by smoke detectors as her house was burning.  Fire appeared to start on the back deck.  She grabbed a phone and got out safely and tried to put the fire out with a garden hose as she waited for the firemen, but soon gave up.  She called us and we also called the fire department, not knowing whether she had called them or not.

Her two cats were retrieved from the fire, but the house appears to be a total loss.  Click on the following link to see photos:

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/photos/slideshow.php?set_albumName=mkrfire_070527

[/b]

[Henry]

I have just added more photos of the inside -- It was a little too dangerous for me to go in as the roof is very shaky, so Matt Jewett took the additional photos of the inside for me.  Just click on the slideshow link below:

http://www.vtgrandpa.com/photos/slideshow.php?set_albumName=mkrfire_070527http://

[Henry]

Channel 3 News reported last night:

Fairfax Fire

Fairfax, Vermont - May 27, 2007

Fire officials say a smoke detector helped save a family in Franklin County.


A home on Fletcher Road in Fairfax burst into flames early Sunday morning.

The family who lived there escaped without injury after waking up to their smoke detector going off. The home is a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

[Henry]

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Issue of The St. Albans Messenger:


The above photo taken by David St. Pierre was scanned from the front page of tonight's St. Albans Messenger

Blaze destroys home

Alarm awakens Fairfax woman

By Leon Thompson, Messenger Staff Writer

FAIRFAX -- A smoke detector potentially saved a woman's life during a two-alarm fire that destroyed her home early Sunday morning.

Fairfax and Cambridge firefighters responded to the blaze at Mary Kay Raymond's Fletcher Road home at about 1:45 a.m.

When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting out of the roof of Raymond's doublewide mobile home.

According to Matt Gillilan, Fairfax Assistant Fire Chief, Raymond was home alone at the time and woke to her smoke detector going off.

"She's very thankful," Gillilan said.

Raymond's father, Henry, who lives next door, said his daughter was sleeping in her bedroom with the door closed and an air conditioner running.

"When she opened the door, she could see flames in the den area," Henry Raymond said.  "She grabbed her phone and dialed 911 as she ran out of the house."

One of Mary Kay Raymond's cats escaped, and a firefighter rescued the other.  There were no injuries at the scene, although Fairfax Rescue was on hand.

Gillilan said many of Raymond's items were salvaged, but the 5-year-old home was a total loss, due to extensive smoke and water damage.

"It burned up so much in the roof," Gillilan said.  "I don't think they'll be able to fix it."

The fire was accidental and likely caused by something left smoldering on Raymond's deck from a small party she had earlier in the day, Gillilan said.[/b]