By Mark Boshnack
A fire at a home in the West Laurens Fire District left a family of three homeless, Otsego County fire officials said.
The fire occurred at about 3:10 p.m. Friday at the home of George and Frances Knarich on Peterson Road, county officials said. The couple have a 20-year-old daughter, officials said.
George Knarich had taken out some pellets from a stove that morning in the wooden breezeway that connected the two RV units where the family lived, said Otsego County Emergency Service Coordinator Lyle "Butch" Jones.
A foundation for a more permanent house was completed at the location, but work had stopped for the season, he said.
Thinking the pellets were extinguished, he put them in a plastic bag on a carpet nearby, Jones said. Several hours later, his wife saw smoke coming from that spot, Jones said.
Knarich tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire before calling 911, Jones said.
The American Red Cross was providing shelter and clothing to the family, Jones said. There was no insurance, he said.
The department received mutual aid from Laurens, Mount Vision and West Oneonta.
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Mark Boshnack can be reached at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 218, or at mboshnack@thedailystar.com.
