HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978 03-22 Fire victims recall, rebuild REVIEW Fire victims recall rebuild
by Kathy Holmes teenagers,ages 13-0,"They're old enough rented trailer,they check on the progress
that I could cry on their shoulder, too." of their home.They will move back in five
Almost three months after a house fire, The Meisters owned their home, had to six weeks. In the meantime, Mrs.
the Meister family of 1745 Frost Ave., lived in it for 15 years and appreciated the Meister chooses drapes and furniture.
Maplewood, watch their house slowly neighborhood. They wanted to restore Once the initial trauma was over, Mrs.
QNbeing restored to livable condition. "We their home. Meister said, it was a daily test of sur-
lived through it. That's the most im- After the temporary living vival, then the steady job of inventory,
portant thing," Mrs. Meister said. arrangements were set and the day to day and now the waiting. She is thankful for
�� Last Christmas Eve, Al and Lorraine necessities purchased, inventory for the family and neighbors for their aid during
Meister and their five children returned insurance was the next task. Inventory the first few weeks of the crisis. She also
from a relative's to find their home filled took six weeks, and until all the figures appreciates the trailer house which
with smoke. When the door was opened, were estimated, the insurance claim allows the family to live so close to home.
outside oxygen ignited the kitchen and couldn't be processed. Luckily, all the "The children like this arrangement,"
living room, leaving them charred and Meisters were old enough to make their she said. "We're all together."
the rest of the house smoke damaged. own lists, although Mrs. Meister mused, A faulty wire in the basement started
The seven-member Meister family "I'm sure we'll find that we forgot the blaze in the Meister home.To keep the
went back to their relative's that things." 23-year-old house from suffering another
Christmas Eve night and stayed with This six weeks of inventory was the fire of that degree, the Meisters are in-
them for the next two weeks until a three- period that Mrs.Meister found trying for stalling smoke detectors when they move
bedroom trailer house was parked in their her patience. "Once you see the con- in again.
own front yard. tractor in there,things go fast,"she said. EDITOR'S NOTE:Next week,local fire
The immediate needs — clothes and "You're really happy." marshalls will comment on the kinds of
personal possessions—kept the Meisters Now, a feeling of normality pervades fires they have seen in the last year, and
in a flurry. Mrs. Meister said of her five the Meister household.From the spacious what can be done to prevent house fires.