Mound House family loses all in fire

MOUND HOUSE - A family here was left homeless Thursday when a fire raced through their rental home on Martin Drive.

Chuck Ritter, fire protection officer with the Central Lyon County Fire District, said crews were called to the structure fire about 10 p.m.

When they arrived, the single-wide mobile home was in flames.

"The first units that got here saw flames blowing out the front windows and up through the canopy," he said.

The fire was contained within 40 minutes, but not in time to save anything belonging to a family of six, which includes four school-aged siblings.

Martin Azevedo, an investigator with the State Fire Marshal's Office, said the cause of the fire is unknown.

The mother and three of her children, ages 11, 13 and 15, were at church when the fire started. A fourth son, 16, was at work. The father is out of the country visiting family.

"They came home at 10 and saw the smoke and one of the kids said, is that our house?" Azevedo said.

The family was given three nights stay at a Carson City motel by the American Red Cross. Red Cross also provided a food voucher for $155 and each person received a clothing voucher for $130.

Three goats and dozens of chickens in pens outside were unhurt. The family's three dogs were also unharmed.

-- Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.