CLAUDE - The shell of a home is all that is left, a home where kids used to run around and play, but early Monday morning all of that changed forever. "As I came down. I saw it was fully involved, I work for Xcel Energy, so went around back to cut the electricity and shut off gas," says Larry Ashworth who is a Claude Assistant Fire Chief. He said the volunteers arrived on the scene quickly, "Of course we attempted a rescue, but when we got the young man he was already deceased, we do what we can and that's all we can do."
Neighbors say the family did barbecue Sunday on a cooker that sits right in front of the home, and although the fire is still under investigation, it's believed that's where the fire could have started. Neighbor Anthony Price says the flames were reaching over these trees, "We were pretty worried about it, sparks all over and the trees were blowing. My Dad said to get our clothes together because we might have to leave".
Now ironically the volunteer fire department is just about a hundred yards away from the house fire. It took eight volunteers and four trucks to put it out. Firefighters here say it's one of the worst things that's happened in years and neighbors have to agree. Price said, "The main thing that kind of got to me was when someone goes into an ambulance and the ambulance doesn't move. That's what happened so we knew something was really wrong." Now friends and loved ones are leaving notes and flowers for the family, to show how much they care.
The four-year-old who survived had a birthday Monday, and neighbors say his party was yesterday. The Red Cross is asking for donations, to find out more about how you can help, call them at 376-6309.
