Assistant Fire Chief's wife credited with life-saving actions


Lu Verne firefighters from left: Matt Lawson, Kevin McPeak, Assistant Chief Dave Carroll and Chief Dave McPeak. The Lu Verne Fire Department battled a house fire early Sunday morning, June 6, that destroyed a family's home at 303 Hanna Avenue. Humboldt Independent file photo.

By KENT THOMPSON
Being an assistant fire chief, Dave Carroll has had to run into a few burning buildings, but early Sunday morning, June 6, Dave’s wife, Sheryl, was also called into action.
The Carrolls were arriving home about midnight in Lu Verne and were pulling into their garage when they noticed that there was fire and smoke coming from the deck area of their neighbor’s home at 303 Hanna Ave.
Their neighbors, Bailey Anderson and Tom Stringer, were home asleep, along with their six children.
“They live directly south of us and when we pulled up we could see the back of the house and the deck on fire. Dave told me to call 911 and he went the two blocks to the fire station to get the fire truck,” Sheryl Carroll said.
Sheryl said the couple had just bought the home last November.
“It didn’t appear anyone was awake. I ran to the garage and the 911 dispatcher helped walk me through what I needed to do. We used to care for the lady who lived there, so we knew the layout of the house well. I pounded on the entryway door a couple of times; Tommy, one of the little boys, saw me. I told him to unlock the door. He and another brother came out along with Eddie, the dog, and I told them to come with me, that their house was on fire,” Sheryl Carroll said.
“I asked them where the girls were and they said they were on air mattresses in the living room where they had been watching a movie. I picked up the little girls. One was screaming and shouting. By that time, Bailey had woken up and she helped round up the rest of the kids.
“Tom came out with their youngest, Wade, about 1-1/2, and then their oldest son, Gage, came out. Dave came in and asked me to help him get the hose straightened out so he could start fighting the fire,” Sheryl Carroll said of her husband.
“The smoke alarm started going off as we left the house,” Sheryl said. She said by that time, fire was starting to reach the drapes in the main living area.
Anderson and Stringer lost nearly all their possessions, two vehicles and their ranch-style home, but everyone is safe and that’s a miracle of fate.
While their family dog came out with one of the boys, the family was afraid that they had lost their cat Sophie in the blaze.
About three hours after the fire started, the cat was spotted running from the back of the home.
The feline remained unaccounted for until late the next afternoon. Bailey Anderson returned to survey the ruins and the cat, full of soot, came running to the voice of her owner.
Lu Verne Fire Department Secretary/Treasurer Matt Lawson said the fire was a tough one to fight as a steel roof on top of the house was difficult to cut through and to try to fight the fire. He said windy conditions added to the difficulty.
The Renwick Fire Department and Renwick Ambulance arrived on the scene fairly quickly and fire departments from Eagle Grove, Algona and Wesley also assisted at the scene. Algona EMS and Kossuth County Emergency Management also lent aid.
“It was a tough one to fight and we couldn’t save the house, but we were grateful for all of the help and that the family got out safe,” Lawson said.
The family is in need of boys size 14-16 clothing, girls size 7-8, boys 2T shirts and pants, toddler shoes size 7, girls shoes size 13-1, boys shoes size 7 and steel-toed boots size 12, so Tom can continue to work.
Women’s size 14-16 clothing, size 38D bras, large shirts and size 11 shoes are needed as well as men’s size medium and large shirts, 32 waist, 32 length men’s pants and size 12 shoes.
Size 5 diapers and wipes for their youngest son are also needed.
Donations can be dropped off to Jodi Ludwig, 712 5th St. N. in Humboldt, or VENMO@Bailey-Anderson-127. Sheryl Carroll said Kossuth County Emergency Management Director David Penton was very helpful to the family, contacting Red Cross and the Algona CARE team on their behalf.
While the home and garage is a total loss, S. Carroll said a hutch and a cabinet were spared, so some photos and family heirlooms were not lost in the fire.
The cause of the blaze has not been determined.

Rate this article: 
Average: 3.6 (7 votes)