Family loses home in fire

The cause of a Sunday morning fire, which cost a Hutchinson family its home, is under investigation.

According to Hutchinson Fire Chief Brad Emans, Richard Rogowski and his family were not at home at the time of the fire.

The fire was reported at 5:26 a.m. Flames were reported coming from a manufactured home park on the 700 block of North High Drive. The caller could not tell if the home or trees near it were on fire.

Hutchinson Police and the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office were first on the scene. They thought people were possibly in the house, and broke in the east door to attempt a rescue. Emans said they were driven back by intense heat and smoke.

Fire crews arrived minutes later and found no one in the house, but were able to confirm the family was staying overnight and using a swimming pool at a motel in Hutchinson.

The manufactured home was a complete loss, with an estimated value of damage of $80,000. Family members report their cat is missing, but emergency crews did not find the animal’s remains.

The cause of the blaze is uncertain and Emans turned the investigation over to the State Fire Marshal. Emans said the property owners are staying with family now. He said this is second fire the family has had while living at the manufactured home park. Eight or nine years ago, Emans said, a faulty furnance caused another total-loss fire at the same site.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)