My House Burned down Monday Night.

[Down South]

I had went to bed about 8:00, gotta get up at 4:00 AM. My wife called about 9:30 to tell me that our house in Louisiana was on fire and was going to the ground. I was in Houston. I got up and drove in getting in about 3:30 AM.
I have two houses in Louisiana. I had recently moved out of this one and rented it out to a pastor and his wife. I thought about posting this the other day but I just felt bad.
I lost a house that I had raised my children in and had lived in for 30 years. My shop is there, all my pasture land and the woods that I love to hunt in. I lost a lot of sentimental value. I had 30 years of memories there.
I had moved most of my belonging out before I let renters move in towards the end of June. I left the living room furniture and a few appliances. I had just finished remodeling this house about 3 years ago except for one bathroom and bed room the wife and I lived in while I was remodeling. I went by last Saturday to visit the pastor and discussed remodeling the other bathroom and asked him to put a bill of material together for the job. The deal was, I purchase the material and they would do the work, them and some of their church members. I gave them several months free rent for their labor.
It meant a lot to me just to have good renters who would keep the place up.

I feel worse for the minister than for myself. He and his wife lost everything. Thank God, he had renters insurance.
He and his wife were at a ministers conference in Branson Mo. They had left early Sunday morning for the conference.

The Fire Marshal confirmed that lightening caused the fire. That's what I had figured. The neighbors said a bad thunder storm moved through about 7:00 and lightening had struck around my house.

Yes, I had land lord insurance. I had just swapped over from home owners insurance to land lords insurance on the 17th of last month. I even feel bad for the insurance company. The adjuster was with the Fire Marshal today when he did his investigation.

[gray wolf]

I hate to hear about tragedies like this, glad no one was hurt.
I am very sorry for the loss of your house.

[imashooter2]

I hate to hear about tragedies like this, glad no one was hurt.
I am very sorry for the loss of your house.

Amen! I can't imagine losing a lifetime of stuff, but I would gladly trade it all for my wife and daughters safety. My condolences and prayers to you, the minister and all involved.

[bangerjim]

"Stuff" is replaceable.....people are not. Glad no body was injured.

You will always have your memories.

Thank goodness everybody had insurance. I always hope I will never need it, but it is comforting at night to know you have it.

God bless.

bangerjim

[Glassman66]

Well, the house is gone, nobody was hurt, and ultimately the memories are in your heart!

It truly is sad though and I hope everything works out for you and the minister and his wife. It would be tough to start over.


Randy

[BNE]

Tough to hear this. Glad no one was hurt.

[Porterhouse]

Wow! I am so sorry for yours and pastors loss but am glad no one is hurt. I've been dealing with a kind of stressful situation past couple of months but this post made me realize how I should be appreciative, not cursing little stuff. Hit by lightning? I mean, how can you be mad about disaster like that? At the end of this journey, everything is just memories and you can't take anything with you...

[Charley]

Wife spent forty years in the insurance business. Proper insurance can really, really save your rear end.

[plmitch]

Sad to hear about it. Best of luck.

[Just Duke]

OM my. This is awful. I'm glad you were not in it.

[GhostHawk]

Houses can be replaced, the land is still there. Thankfully no lives were lost.

Sorry for your loss, but glad to hear you were covered.

[SSGOldfart]

at least nobody got hurt you can replace most things lost but you can never replace loss of life

[MaryB]

Sorry for the loss of memories, I grew up moving around a lot because my parents rented until I started high school so no one house stands out over another. If anything the camper we had at the lake for 15 years is the most remembered as home. Glad everyone has insurance coverage that is will help the recovery.

[schutzen]

As others have said, "stuff" can be replaced and you will always have your memories. I can not say you will never get over your loss, but after time it gets considerably better. We lost our "dream home" 16 years ago, but all of us survived and our dreams came true in the form of 6 wonderful grandchildren. God never throws anything at you can not handle. From previous conversations we have had I know you are nearing retirement. This may be the opportunity for you and the wife to build the retirement home of your dreams. Take a few months to weigh your options, you may feel better about it then.


best wishes to your family and your preacher's family. We will keep you in our prayers.

[bobby65]

Sorry for the loss to you and the paster. Thank god that you both had insurance to help out

[smoked turkey]

What a tragic thing to happen to your house and the pastor and his family. The wife and I were on our way home yesterday and spotted a large column of black smoke coming from what was determined to be a 100 year old house in north Springfield, MO. It was on our way home so we passed by and saw the flames and it was a horrible thing to just see. I can't imagine how it would be if it was your house. Thankfully no one was injured or hurt in your case, and everyone was insured. I am very sorry for your loss realizing that you can build back if you choose to but it will never be the same.

[doc1876]

I'm also feeling sorrow for you. All of that work and love, and it seems as if it is gone. Energy doesn't die, it just transfers to another source, good luck with that new beginning.

[runfiverun]

holy cow Sam..
some ones gotta say it,,, at least you'll get your new bath room.
I'm sorry for the loss of the memories..

[MtGun44]

What a shame, but good thing nobody was hurt. Have they got
any idea what caused it to start?

Bill

[smokeywolf]

Insurance with rebuild the house. Loss of the memories is awfully tough to take. Sure sorry for your loss and glad no one was hurt.

[Hickory]

House fires can devastate a family.
We lost our home Nov. 21, 1963.

[Down South]

What a shame, but good thing nobody was hurt. Have they got
any idea what caused it to start?

Bill
It was struck by lightening. I had figured as much. The pastor had been gone since early Sunday morning and the fire didn't start until Monday evening. A bad storm had came through late that afternoon. I questioned people at the sene if we had bad weather and found out about the storm. The wife's cousin who lived on one side a couple hundred yds away said she heard it strike somewhere around the house.
The Fire Marshal confirmed that it was lightening struck.

[Gator 45/70]

Sorry to hear this DS, We seem to have thunder boomers everyday down here, May I ask what parish ?

[Down South]

Sorry to hear this DS, We seem to have thunder boomers everyday down here, May I ask what parish ?
Catahoula Parish about 2 miles from the LaSalle Parish line.

[Murphy]

Sorry to hear of your loss.

I can't begin to fathom what it must feel like to lose so much. Prayers sent.

Murphy

[CastingFool]

Sorry to hear that about your house, DS. At least, look at it this way, you'll get a completely new house, and you won't have to do any remodeling for quite a while. Everything will be brand new.

[Gator 45/70]

Catahoula Parish about 2 miles from the LaSalle Parish line.

Ahh, We have a camp in Beauregard, Work in Vermilion and Lafayette, Looking for a place on Toledo, Stop by if we get a camp and wet a line !

[southpaw]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Also glad that no one was hurt. Things can be replaced and memories are captured in your mind. Like schutzen said this could be your opportunity to build your dream house. A new house for retirement means no remodeling projects.

Good luck with the rebuild.

Jerry Jr.

[jcwit]

Very bad thing to have happen, Pray everything will work out for the best in the end.

[Love Life]

I am sorry to hear about your loss. It looks like the insurance company is going to make you whole again so that is good. Also, on the bright side, at least you had moved your valuable possessions (pictures, guns, jewelry, etc) out before the fire.

[flyingmonkey35]

That sucks.

[DR Owl Creek]

Really sorry to hear about that! Glad no-one was hurt.

Dave

[Polecat]

Sorry for your loss glad no one was injured you are in our prayers