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The Taylor and Danielle Thompson family, of Pipestone, has been displaced from their home by a fire that occurred Thursday evening, Nov. 3.
No one was injured, but there was fire damage to a bedroom and smoke damage throughout the house, according to Pipestone Fire Chief Mike Bloemendaal. Danielle Thompson said Friday that their insurance company estimated they will be displaced from their home for three to six months and they had not yet figured out a solution to that.
Bloemendaal said he wasn’t sure of the exact cause of the fire, but said there was a fan with an outlet on it and a Chromebook plugged into it on a desk in one of the bedrooms, and it appeared that something there became too hot. Thompson said their son discovered the fire, closed the door to the room, got their dogs out and called 911.
“Things could have been a lot worse if he hadn’t done that,” she said.
Bloemendaal said there was a lot of smoke when firefighters arrived and he could see the fire on the desk through the window. He said it was small at that time and appeared to have been starved of air because the Thompsons’ son had closed the door to the room.
“He did a great job,” Bloemendaal said. “It saved a lot of damage.”
Thompson reminded people to be vigilant about checking what they have plugged in and make sure kids know what to do in case of a fire.
She said the Pipestone Fire Department, Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office and Pipestone County Ambulance were wonderful in their response and support. The Pipestone County Ambulance, where Danielle is a paramedic and administrative assistant, and St. Paul Lutheran Church, the church the Thompsons attend, have partnered to help provide assistance for the family.
“We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from these two groups and many other community members,” Thompson said.
St. Paul Lutheran Pastor Christopher Amen said the church has set up a bank account for donations to support the Thompson family. Cash and checks can be brought to the church. The church will also give the proceeds from the Advent meals to the Thompsons. Those meals are at the church at 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday from Nov. 30 to Dec. 21.
There will also be an angel tree set up at the church from which people can take a decoration that has a specific need of the family on it and bring that item to the church. Amen said some of the decorations with the needs on them will also be at the Pipestone County Emergency Services building in Pipestone.
More information about giving opportunities can be found at the St. Paul Lutheran Church Facebook page and the Pipestone County Ambulance Facebook page.
