Fire destroys Carson home

A child playing with fire caused a fast-moving blaze Thursday morning that left a Carson City family of four homeless, fire officials said.

The fire, which started in a child's bedroom, quickly moved through the double-wide mobile home at 1630 Brown St., engulfing everything in its path, said Battalion Chief Richard Chrzanowski.

Lori Robert, 28, said her 6-year-old son ran to tell her there was a fire about 9 a.m. Her attempt to extinguish the flames with water proved futile, she said.

"I couldn't call 911 because we don't have a phone yet," she said tearfully. The family had moved into the rental property only two weeks before. "The phone company should have a way to plug in a phone to call in case of emergency. They could save a lot of houses and a lot of people."

Robert's boyfriend was at work at the time of the fire, she said.

Deputy Don White was on routine patrol in the neighborhood when he saw two crying and barefoot children huddled next to a car in the driveway.

He said he stopped just as Robert came running outside screaming for help.

Soon, he saw flames licking out the window on the north side of the home. When he attempted to move Robert's car, it was too late, the windows had already shattered and the fire was too hot.

"In my opinion, the house went up within minutes," he said.

A representative from the Red Cross and a Carson City Sheriff's Department chaplain arrived to offer assistance to Robert. Neighbors she'd never met took her and her children into their homes.

She said she will stay in a travel trailer at the home of a friend in Dayton until she can afford another place to live.

"It's sad that she lost her belongings," White said. "But at least her children are OK."

Sheriff Kenny Furlong said donations for the family can be made to the Sheriff's Department at 901 E. Musser St.

"We would be happy to pass that support on the family," he said.

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