Dateline: December 2, 2004

Howardwick blaze destroys family's home

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

An afternoon fire cost a Howardwick family their home last Friday.

The Donley County Sheriff’s Office received the call of the fire at 4:01 p.m., and members of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze at the home of David Perry in the 200 block of Billy Street.

Clarendon Fire Chief Delbert Robertson said the fire began when an electric heater plugged into a wall outlet started sparking. The breaker for that circuit was quickly shut off, but the fire had apparently gotten into the wall by then, he said.

Two trucks and seven firemen arrived on the scene and had the fire out in less than an hour, Robertson said. The front half of the singlewide trailer house was burned up, and the remainder suffered smoke damage.

No one was injured in the fire, but the Perry family lost most of their possessions. They are now staying with Perry’s mother, and donations for the family are being accepted at the Howardwick City Hall.