Family relives tragedy as fire destroys second home - August 31, 2004

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2004-09-19

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57 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 19, 2004   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   How To Guide   Wellness Connection   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Rogue Valley's Finest   EXTRA   Newspaper in Education   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad  eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit   Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 31, 2004 Family relives tragedy as fire destroys second home CENTRAL POINT — A woman has lost her home to fire for the second time in three years. Monday afternoon’s blaze at 5710 Gebhard Road was d�j� vu for resident Kelly Leffler, whose infant son died in a March 2001 fire on the same property. Leffler was hospitalized for weeks with severe burns suffered in the previous fire. No one was injured Monday, a relief to Leffler’s family and firefighters, who suffered afresh the tragedy of three years ago. "It was horrible," said Mark Moran, deputy fire marshal with Jackson County Fire District No. 3. "You could see it in their faces reliving it again." Family members residing nearby initially thought Leffler was inside the flaming double-wide mobile home and met firefighters arriving at the scene. But Leffler was at a friend’s house, they later discovered. Efforts to contact her Monday were unsuccessful. Fire investigators also had not seen Leffler. "I’m sure it has a double impact on her this time," said Georgia Leffler, who lives next door. Advertisement The blaze likely broke out in the bathroom, but the cause remained unknown Monday, said Don Hickman, deputy fire marshal for District No. 3. Fire investigators determined that Leffler’s older son — then 3 — caused the first fire playing with a lighter in the living room, Moran said. He also was badly burned in that blaze. Although more than 20 firefighters with four engines responded to the 12:30 p.m. fire Monday, Leffler’s mobile home was destroyed. It was a replacement for the structure lost in the 2001 fire. Smoke alarms inside the double-wide had no batteries, Hickman said. Firefighters three years ago also found smoke detectors in Leffler’s home that were not working. Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback   ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities