Ark Valley News - Fire destroys family’s home

The Moores' home in Park City is destroyed after a fire on Feb. 9.

Fire destroys family’s home
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: February 18, 2021

A Park City family who had recently settled into a new home after living with relatives for four months was forced to start over last week when their home was destroyed by fire.

Kyle and Stephanie Moore are thankful no one was hurt in the Feb. 9 blaze, including their four children who were at school at the time.

"We're trusting that God is going to lead us where we need to go," Kyle said. "It's obvious that he's taken care of us through the people who have expressed care for us already."

The Moores moved to north Sedgwick County from Anthony last summer. They planned to stay with Kyle's brother and his family in Valley Center and save money to buy a home.

In October, they purchased a mobile home in the Navajo Lakes neighborhood in Park City.

On Feb. 9, Stephanie was visiting her family in Wyoming and the couple's children — ages 13 through 3 — were at school. A victim of the winter blast of Arctic temperatures, the home's water pipes had been frozen for three days.

Kyle was working on thawing them, but was unsuccessful.

He set up a couple of space heaters under the mobile home and a couple of propane tanks on the edges of the skirting.

He checked on the progress every 20 to 30 minutes.

About 1 p.m. he heard the smoke alarm blare. He went back to the bathroom and saw smoke. He ran outside and tried to throw snow on the smoldering area and tamp it with a towel, but he couldn't get the fire out.

He called 911.

"I got my (two) dogs out and loaded into the truck," Kyle said. "… I was trying to get everything out that we could, and it was basically just the dogs."

Kyle went in one last time, but the smoke was too thick.

"I couldn't see, so I got back out," he said.

Kyle called Stephanie.

"I kind of freaked out a little bit, when he gave me a call," she said. "He said, ‘I don't want you to worry, but the house is on fire.' … That's super hard news to take when you can't do anything about it."

The Moores said firefighters were quick and thorough, and were able to save some sentimental items, such as pictures. However, all of the family's clothes and furniture were destroyed. Everything salvageable had smoke and water damage.

The younger children's toys were melted. The older boys' games were damaged.

Kyle said it was a blessing to be able to break the news to his children after the fact, rather than them going through the devastation as it happened.

The family has moved back in with Kyle's brother and his family of five. They know the arrangement can't last forever.

They didn't have insurance to replace the mobile home. They're looking for a place to rent.

Stephanie, a paraprofessional at Abilene Elementary, and Kyle, who owns a lawn and landscaping business and recently took a job delivering pizzas at Pizza Hut, have been overwhelmed by the immediate care and concern of their friends and church family.

"It's amazing to see how many people care for us, some of them that we don't even know," Kyle said.

A fund has been set up to help the family through Riverlawn Christian Church.

Monetary donations may be mailed to 4243 N. Meridian, Wichita KS 67204, or given online at riverlawn.org/giving (designating the Moore family).