Montrose - Daily Press

COLONA — A passing stranger saved them from burning to death, but now, the Carroll family is left to pick up the pieces — again.

The Carrolls had only moved their daughter, Tatianya; their son-in-law Will Varos, and two granddaughters to Colorado a month ago, after Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston, Texas. The adults in the Carroll home went to bed Tuesday, with plans to move the young couple into their new apartment Wednesday.

But early that morning, those plans — and half the home — went up in smoke.

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A Montrose Fire Protection District report said either a cigarette or fireplace ash near exterior stairs and a woodpile created heat during the night, which strong winds then fanned into flames that devoured the laundry room.

The family slept on, unaware of the danger, as smoke alarms in the home did not alert them. Bobby and Donna Carroll credited God’s intervention, in the form of New Mexico resident Bryan Blackerby and the fire district’s quick response, with saving their lives.

“If that guy hadn’t been driving by, we’d have lost our lives,” Bobby Carroll said later Wednesday, as he ran temporary power to the portion of the home that wasn’t destroyed.

“The good Lord had to have sent him,” Donna Carroll said.

Bobby Carroll said he was awakened by his dog and the sound of someone beating on the door. When he opened the door, the oxygen hit the flames “and it was on,” he said.

According to Fire Chief Bob Pistor, Blackerby was driving down Highway 550 on his way to Grand Junction, when he spotted flames from the road and pulled off in Colona to warn the family.

“I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have known anything about it,” Pistor said. “I think it’s pretty lucky the guy turned around and started pounding on their doors.”

Bobby Carroll said Blackerby also called 911 and the fire district arrived within minutes from its new substation on Racine Road, south of Montrose.

“They saved our lives,” Carroll said. “Thank God for the fire department.”

Pistor said the house is probably salvageable.

From one end of the house, it would be hard to tell there was a fire. The sitting room and its furniture were intact, as were Donna’s red velvet, antique-looking furniture Bobby got her for Valentine’s Day.

Just beyond that, though, water-saturated carpet led to the master suite, where the ceiling was torn to allow for venting, and the master bath, where ash and debris were ankle high. The laundry room and porch area were blackened, and cold wind blew in between the fire-scarred beams.

“We lost all our groceries,” Donna Carroll said. “That’s where we kept our groceries.”

She said she hadn’t realized how bad it was when the Red Cross took the family away in the night. They returned after it was light. “Then I was messed up all over again.”

The Carrolls spent a lot of money to bring their children up from Galveston after Ike, she said. Just recently, she lost her job, when the coffeehouse where she worked closed down.

“Now this,” Carroll said.

The family does not yet know everything it needs, but Bobby Carroll said more clothing for the children, ages 3 and 1, would help, as would people willing to help them clean things up. Tatianya Carroll and her husband received some donated furniture, but weren’t certain what they might be able to salvage because of heavy smoke damage.

“People really have been good to the kids,” Bobby Carroll said. “My main concern is getting these babies (the granddaughters) into their apartment tonight.”

He said he’s grateful the propane wasn’t on. “I’d have lost them and probably me too.”

The fire district’s report put structural damage to the leased home at $50,000 and loss of contents at $10,000.

“It was purely an accidental fire,” Pistor said.

He said the Red Cross assisted the family and Tri River Appliance will sell the Carrolls a used washer and dryer set, which emergency relief funds will pay for.

“They say when it rains, it pours. I hope it don’t rain no more,” Bobby Carroll said.

To help the Carrolls, call 252-0031.

 

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