Morning house fire displaces mom, four children

Emergency crews fight a fire in the 1300 block of Delaware on Tuesday, Aug. 31. The intersection at 13th and Delaware streets was shut down while crews secured the scene.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical crews arrived quickly and were able to extinguish a fire at 1300 Del. on Tuesday. The fire started while a mother was taking her children to school.

Katrice Woods returned to her east Lawrence home Tuesday morning to see smoke coming from the back of the house, 1300 Del.

Alarmed, she tried to peer inside.

“I could see all the flames in the kitchen,” Woods said.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical crews arrived quickly and were able to extinguish the fire.

“We’re hopeful the family’s belongings are still salvageable,” Fire Marshal Rich Barr said.

Woods said she was thankful no one got hurt in the 7:50 a.m. fire. She had just returned from dropping off three of her children at Pinckney School and one at South Junior High School. She said her poodle was with her in the car.

Division Chief Eve Tolefree said unattended cooking caused the fire and that damages are estimated at $30,000. Woods said she left a pot on the stove as she took her children to school.

Woods said she has rented the house for about four years. According to county records, it’s owned by Polk Oil Co. Inc.

Barr said most of the damage appeared to be in the kitchen and living area. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to get the fire under control.

The Douglas County chapter of the American Red Cross is providing hotel, food and clothing vouchers for the family. Woods said she was thankful for the lodging that will cover three days. She’s still worried about long-term housing because the house likely won’t be repaired for months.

“I’ll take what comes up as long as my kids have a roof over their heads,” Woods said. “That’s what I’m looking at now, whatever I can do to help my kids.”