Fire destroys family home in Faith

The Faith Volunteer Fire Dept. was called to a house fire in town last Tuesday, February 26 at about 8:30 pm. The firefighters had to fight extremely frigid temperatures, wind and snow.
    I heard a truck with the motor running on the street outside our house around 8:30 but didn’t think much of it. After 10 minutes or so I got up and looked out the window to see flashing lights fire trucks, and firefighters across the street!
    They brought three trucks, their big tanker truck, another with extra equipment, and one smaller pumper truck they connected to the fire hydrant. The Faith Ambulance was on scene in case of any emergency, along with the Faith PD. Streets were blocked off in all directions for safety purposes and so there was no access for onlookers to hinder the firefighters.
    There wasn’t much smoke at that time, but as the hours went by the smoke got thicker and much more visible. The firefighters were working hard to find some way to control the fire, but all they could do was keep it from spreading to any other structures.
    The fire seems to have started in the basement and burned into the floor joists so firefighters were unable to get inside the house.  
    I watched until a little after 11:30 as the thick black smoke poured out of the house, and finally decided to give up and go to bed, so I didn’t see when it actually went up in flames.
    The chimney was the only thing left standing Wednesday morning when I looked out.
    Jim Crockford and his adult daughter DeeAnn were living in the house. Thankfully, they were able to get out, but only with what they were wearing, and sadly she lost her little dog Harley to the fire. The site continued to smolder for the next couple days.
     The house is owned by Terry and Roxanne Ensz. Most of us remember this as Merle and Bea Fowler’s house.
    The Faith community has stepped up and are helping out with food, clothing and monetary donations. There is a list of clothing, sizes, etc. needed on the Faith website, and an account has been set up for them at Dakota Plains Federal Credit Union.
    Jim and DeeAnn are currently staying at Terry and Roxanne’s motel. Please help this family in need of so much, and keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Most of us can’t imagine what it is like to lose everything you own.