Beverly family loses everything in fire

BEVERLY — A family of six lost everything when a mid-morning fire last Tuesday, April 26, destroyed their home while the parents were at work and the children at school.

Burned beyond recognition were a mobile home at the north end of Pasco Street and three automobiles. Three more automobiles were damaged. The fire marshal still have not reported the cause of the blaze or the value of the loss yesterday.

Household head Alfredo Prudente Mendez said he still owes $40,000 on the home and property. It will be tough acquiring a new mobile home while still paying the debt. He carried no insurance on the property, he said.

Prudente Mendez and his wife Carmela Herrera, farm workers, were at work in an orchard at the south end of the county when he got word the home was ablaze. “There was nothing left” by the time he arrived 20 minutes later.

“A neighbor called a woman who works with us to tell us what happened,” he said.

According to Grant County Emergency Services spokesman Kyle Foreman, the home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived from Grant County Fire Districts 8 (Mattawa), 10 (Royal City and Beverly and 11 (Royal City). There were 15 fire fighters, including Alfredo and Cristina Gutierrez of Beverly.

“It was too dangerous for the firefighters to go in,” Foreman said. “All they could do was surround it with water and contain it.”

Even then, the fire spread to six vehicles parked nearby.

“It’s a good thing it didn’t spread to the next home or they would have all gone up,” a neighbor said.

There was nothing Prudente Mendez and his wife could do except lament the loss. He said the four children – even a 16-year-old son – cried when they saw the destruction of their accumulated lives.

However, on the other side of this tragedy, there is a bright story of families that stick together.

“I have three brothers who also live in Beverly, and they have taken us in,” Prudente Mendez said. “Our immediate needs are taken care of. We may have to split up for a while, at least to sleep.”

Prudente Mendez added that his brothers even discussed with him how the four will go about rebuilding his family’s life. They plan to help him acquire a new home.

“I’m really grateful to my brothers and others who have helped,” Prudente Mendez said.

Prudente Mendez noted that Alfredo Gutierrez, pastor of the lone church in Beverly-Schawana, returned after the fire with bags of clothing for the family. He said the American Red Cross gave him six debit cards worth $125 each for the purchase of immediate needs.

The “others” included about 15 people – all farm workers – Tuesday after work. They included nephews and friends of nephews at school. They cleaned up a good share of the debris. They planned to help again Wednesday, but Prudente Mendez told them to go to work and school.

“They’ll all be back in the evenings,” he said. “They tell me we’ll have the place cleaned up in three or four days.”

Friends and family have also opened a donation account at Columbia Bank in Mattawa in the name of the Prudente family. For those of you who would like to help, the account number is 1102245184.

Prudente Mendez is looking forward to a day when he can bring a new home to the property.