A La Plata County family lost its home and belongings Sunday night in a fire just south of Marvel.
Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District Chief John Lee said a call came in around 6:45 p.m. that a single-family residence was on fire near 3246 County Road 134, about a mile south of the unincorporated community of Marvel and about 25 miles southwest of Durango.
About 12 firefighters responded to the fire, Lee said, and a water tanker was supplied by Durango Fire Protection District.
By 8 p.m., the fire was under control, Lee said.
The three residents of the home – a mother and her two children – escaped without injury.
However, their home, and nearly all their belongings, were lost in the fire, Lee said.
“The structure is a complete loss,” he said. “And between the fire and smoke damage, I would expect there isn’t a toy coming out of there or any clothes that will be wearable.”
Lee did not have the names of those affected by the fire.
He said the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office connected the mother and children with family members, and that Red Cross also responded to the incident.
Calls to the Sheriff’s Office were not immediately returned Monday morning.
After the fire was under control, emergency responders spent the next several hours doing rehabilitation and mop-up procedures, finding hot spots and dousing them with water.
Command was terminated around 1 a.m., Lee said.
Follow-up investigations into the cause of the fire were to occur Monday, but Lee said it appears the fire was started by a wood stove in the house’s living room.
Melissa Lindbloom said it was her cousin, Donna Mahan, and her two children, who lost their home.
“She’s feeling just really overwhelmed,” Lindbloom said. “But I think they are doing good.”
Lindbloom said anyone interested in helping or donating items to Mahan can call her at 769-0564.
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