Guernsey family displaced by house fire

Vicki Hood, Editor, vhood@guernseygazette.com
Posted 11/13/18

A Guernsey family is thankful to be safe after a fire swept through their home last Friday morning.

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Guernsey family displaced by house fire

Posted

Vicki Hood

Editor

vhood@guernseygazette.com

GUERNSEY--When Shelbie McGannon agreed to trade shifts last Friday morning to help out a co-worker, she figured it just meant going in to work about three hours earlier than normal.  In reality, it may very well have saved her life. 

With her dad Andy already gone to his job with BNSF Railroad that morning, all seemed fine when Shelbie left the house about 6:50 a.m.  But less than an hour later, Platte County emergency dispatchers were getting 911 calls from the McGannon’s neighbors reporting heavy smoke coming from the residence.  At 7:40 a.m., crews from the Guernsey Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the scene about a half block south of the Guernsey Public Library.

After encountering heavy smoke and difficulty reaching all of the affected areas, GVFD Chief Jeff Thomas called for additional help and crews from Hartville, Camp Guernsey, Fort Laramie, and Wheatland responded as well. 

The home sustained substantial fire, smoke and water damage and firefighters on scene said they felt it would likely be declared a total loss. 

Thomas said the fire spread quickly once ignited, and added that he was very glad the home was unoccupied at the time the fire began.  “It’s a good thing Shelbie had already gone to work,” said GVFD Assistant Chief Shenna Thomas.  “There was a lot of smoke and had she been on her regular work schedule and home sleeping instead, it’s very possible the smoke would have overtaken her before she could have escaped.” 

A preliminary investigation seemed to indicate the fire was due to an electrical issue but that could not be confirmed until a formal investigation was completed by the state fire marshal’s office, currently underway.   

As fire crews mopped up and put equipment away Friday afternoon, Andy and Shelbie stood outside of their residence and reflected on the loss and what the future may bring. 

Although they had not yet been able to go through the home to determine just how much that loss entailed, Andy said although he knows there are things that may be difficult to replace, he knows how much worse it could have been.  “We lost things,” he said, “but much of them can be replaced.”   But as he glanced toward Shelbie, Andy noted that the most important thing “is standing right here with me.  She’s ok and  I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.”