Volunteers restore Olathe house as anniversary of deadly fire nears

? A year after a fire at their home took the lives of nearly all their family, the two surviving siblings hardly recognize what has been rebuilt.

The house has new windows and a modified layout, and more than 100 volunteers gathered Saturday to fix the exterior of the house and clean up debris from the yard.

“It’s very weird – the house looks different. It’s odd, but not uncomfortable,” said Kameron Orr. “We so greatly appreciate everyone’s help.”

Last Oct. 16, a fire swept through the home in the middle of the night. Kameron and her brother, Justin, lost their parents, Matt and Rebecca Orr, both 46; and brothers Benjamin, 18, Jeremiah, 16, and Kyle, 14.

Test results on electrical equipment turned up no leads and the cause was officially listed as undetermined.

Investigators said that the house had three smoke alarms, but two of them didn’t work properly on the night of the fire.

Justin heard an alarm and escaped through a basement window. Smoke and fire prevented him from alerting the rest of his family.

Kameron, a Kansas University student, was in Lawrence the night of the fire.

The siblings plan sell the family once it is finished and split the money.

Justin, 24, attends Johnson County Community College and was married in January. He and his wife are buying a house in Olathe.

Kameron, 20, lives in Overland Park and commutes to KU, where she’s studying elementary education.

Saturday’s “Day of Caring” was organized by family friend Ken Ross and the home’s builder, Phoenix Renovation and Restoration Inc.

Many of the volunteers were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Olathe, which Kameron credits for helping her through the tragedy.

“The biggest thing for me has been my faith. Understanding what I believe has helped me the most,” she said.