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Fire leaves family homeless Photo by Bob Pennell Curt Sather holds a child's toy that melted when his rental home burned Tuesday night. The Summit Street fire left nine people without a house and many of their possessions. Medford parents, 7 children lose everything By JESSICA SMITH Curt and Dianna Sather and their seven children lost just about everything Tuesday in a fire that gutted their home. "It hasn't really hit the kids yet that they've lost all they own. It's a game to them right now," said Dianna Sather, 29. Amid baby bottles and toy cars, the family of nine settled temporarily Wednesday with friends in west Medford. But the house on Rose Street was pretty crowded Wednesday night. "Right now, our biggest problem is finding a place big enough for all of us to stay," said Curt Sather, 32. The family -- with children ranging in ages from 6 months to 11 years -- was living in a three-bedroom home at 832 Summit Ave., down the street from Jackson Elementary School. A fire that broke out there shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday burned much of the home's contents, including furniture, toys, clothing and a refrigerator stocked with $500 worth of groceries. No one was home when the blaze ignited. Dianna Sather and the couple's three eldest children were at a music program at the elementary school; Curt Sather and the four youngest children were at their grandparent's home, celebrating an anniversary. An elementary school administrator found Dianna Sather at the school and told her about the fire. "When I got there, the firefighters were bringing stuff out, throwing it on the ground and hosing it down," she said. "I stood there watching the windows melt." The fire was contained inside the home, which apparently survived the blaze with its structure intact. Medford firefighters estimated damages, primarily from smoke, at $35,000. Investigators said the fire likely began in the Sather's family room, behind a computer monitor. The Sathers, who had a lease option on the Summit Avenue house, have home owner's insurance. They were expected to meet with an insurance adjuster Thursday. In the meantime, the family wants to move from the rental house into something larger. Potential landlords, however, have balked at the size of the family, the Sathers said. They said they need a home with five bedrooms. Donations for the family -- from clothing to household items -- began pouring into Jackson Elementary School Wednesday. But with nowhere to put the donations, the items are of little use to the family, Dianna Sather said. Still, the Sathers said they're grateful for the community's support. "There are so many people out there being so helpful," Curt Sather said. "It's so amazing." (To find out how you can help the Sather family, call Jackson Elementary School at 776-8838). Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA