House blaze forces family outside

By Phil Pfuehler

A fire in the middle of the night chased a family from its home. Kind neighbors provided temporary shelter.

Police and firefighters responded just after 3 a.m. Sunday. Flames and smoke were visible from inside the garage where the fire started.

The house at 409 N. Fremont St. is owned by Joe Boles. Six members of the John Kobs family, four adults and two children, are tenants.

Family members were apparently wakened by the smell of smoke, according to Asst. Fire Chief Bernie Purfeerst. They had time to dress before going out into the cold.

Kobs, who works at Perkins' restaurant, said everyone in the house is fine. Kobs' boss at Perkins, Dave Wahrenbrock, arranged for Kobs and two other family members to have free lodging at the Super 8 Motel all week.

Purfeerst said the garage blaze spread up into an adjoining porch and then higher still to the attic. However, Purfeerst said firefighters kept interior damage in the house to a minimum.

"We were able to force much of the smoke out by pressurizing the house with a big fan," he said.

The outside of the house, including garage and upper porch, was scorched. The inside of the garage was wrecked.

Purfeerst estimated damage costs from the blaze at $40,000. This includes a totaled car, a 1988 Dodge Aries, and various tools.

The fire's cause remains under investigation. Purfeerst said two possibilities were the garage's electrical system or the car inside.

The house itself, including the furnace, is still livable, Purfeerst said.

While the fire was not difficult to put out, Purfeerst said firefighters were kept hopping through the night. Four other alarms were set off at various rental properties within the city.

"They were malicious," Purfeerst said. "It really depleted our force. We had to bring in Hudson (firefighters) and put them on standby (at the station)."

Purfeerst said 28 River Falls firefighters worked at various times throughout the early morning hours. All eight fire vehicles were used, including the three pumpers.

Purfeerst said there's a heavy fine and prison time for those caught deliberately setting of a fire alarm. Anyone with information on such cases can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-303-8477.

It wasn't until 7 a.m. Sunday that local firefighters were able to leave the fire-damaged house on Fremont Street.