Published: July 03, 2008 10:29 am            

BLAZE: Man left homeless after blaze

A 62-year-old Fancher man was left homeless Wednesday morning after a fire consumed his one-room home.

Ben Little managed to escape safely and without injury, said Darla McGill with the American Red Cross in Orleans County. He was the sole occupant of the 10-by-10 foot structure owned by Lydia Duncan of Fancher.

The Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Department responded to the fire at 15862 State Route 31 in the hamlet of Fancher at 7:35 a.m. The bungalow was already fully engulfed, but firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly, said Orleans County Undersheriff Steven Smith.

Firefighters with the Holley Fire Department assisted at the scene. The Kendall Fire Department sent a truck to the Fancher station as a fill-in.

All of Little’s possessions were destroyed in the fire, McGill said.

McGill appeared on the scene at approximately 9 a.m. with Interim Executive Director Diana Fulcomer. Both are trained members of the American Red Cross Disaster Services Human Resource team.

“I was getting ready to come into work when I (received) the phone call,” McGill said. “He lost everything.”

The Red Cross provided Little with immediate shelter at a hotel, as well as food and clothing, she said. Heidi Wyant and Joni Dix with Orleans Community Action helped provide him with transportation and refills on his medication.

To ensure Little’s needs are completely met, the disaster team will refer him to additional agencies, as necessary, McGill said.

The fire’s cause is believed to be an electrical problem with the home’s refrigerator, Smith said.

The home itself is no longer standing. Its contents were largely incinerated.

“It’s just rubble at this point,” Smith said.

Contact reporter Nicole Coleman at 798-1400, ext. 8227.

        

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