Firefighters in Kake have a custom-built engine, but it was not enough to save the Billy’s home, which is likely a total loss, according to Howard. (GoFundMe photo)
A Kake family is homeless after a chimney fire burned out of control Monday afternoon (12-12-16).
Kip Howard is a volunteer emergency responder in Kake. He says both Harlan and Alana Billy were away from home when the fire started.
“Someone passed by and noticed a little fire coming from the chimney stack. So I got the call and immediately went and got the truck and headed down there where there were a bunch of people waiting, and started attacking that fire as best as we could.
Howard says the blaze began at about 1:30 in the afternoon. The Billy’s children were in school at the time. 10 people are on Kake’s emergency services’ group text, but far more than that turned out to fight the fire. He says it was an organized effort, and no one was hurt.
The house, however, is likely a total loss Howard is unsure of its exact age, but he says it housed an early pediatric clinic, and many Kake elders were born there.
He says the structure will be missed, both by the Billy family, and by the community.
“It’s hard enough that a fire devastates you. But you put on top of that all your memories and your collectibles that can’t be replaced. That hurts.”
The Billy’s have been temporarily housed in the local lodge. The Red Cross has offered help. A GoFundMe account has been created for the Billy family.
