Steve and Barbara Skelton could only stand and watch this morning as the home they have lived in for 20 years burned at 1758 Road B2.
This is not the first time the Skeltons have lost everything. In 1985, they lost their possessions in a flood on Lockerman Road, Steve Skelton said this morning as he watched firefighters around his home.
The call of a structure fire came in at the Emporia Fire Department around 8 o’clock this morning. Steve Skelton said his wife was at home at the time of the fire. Firefighters cut a hole in the slate roof near the chimney to battle the fire.
Late this morning, investigators said a wood-burning fireplace was the cause of the fire.
Skelton said the home was an old schoolhouse that was built in 1929 and converted for residential use. It is owned by Larry Hurshman.
“There’s a lot of memories in there,” he said as he watched smoke pour from the roof of his home. “We don’t need this. ... It looks like we’re going to have to find a new place to live.”
Neighbors milled around to offer the Skeltons help. Barbara Skelton wasn’t able to grab any clothes other than what she was wearing. Neighbors brought her warm clothes to wear as she sat in a vehicle calling family.
“Our neighbors are helping out,” Skelton said. “We watch out for each other all the time. You couldn’t find a better bunch of neighbors.”
Skelton said they have no family in the immediate area. According to the fire report, the couple had no renters’ insurance.
The Skelton’s dog, Choui, a black Labrador, went missing during the fire. She took off because she was scared, Skelton said. Choui will be 3 years old in August and is wearing a clear vet collar to keep her from chewing on stitches on her leg.