Family Loses Home
In Braintree Fire
By Sandy Vondrasek

Firefighters from Randolph pour water on a fire at Mobile Acres that left a Braintree family homeless Tuesday. The heat from the fierce blaze buckled the siding of the adjacent home, at left. (Herald / Jack Rowell) 1Sandy 1

A Braintree family of seven lost everything in a fierce fire Tuesday morning that left their Mobile Acres residence a scorched shell and them without a home.

Four family members, Gene Lumbra and three children ages two to five, were in their Sesame Street home when the fire broke out. All were able to escape unhurt. Lumbra’s wife, Cristy Ward, was at work and two other children were at school at the time of the fire.

Yesterday, Randolph Village Fire Chief Jay Collette reported that he had determined the fire had been started by "children playing with a lighter." The home had smoke alarms, he said, but they "were not operable" at the time of the fire.

"I am happy they came out alive," Collette said. "They were very, very fortunate. At the rate the fire was spreading, it could have been tragic—it wasn’t and that’s good."

Lost Everything

Gene Lumbra, surrounded by his family and concerned neighbors, watched from across the street Tuesday as firefighters spent close to three hours battling the stubborn and smoky fire. The family lost everything, save the clothes they were wearing, and Lumbra said the mobile home was not insured.

Lumbra said he had fallen asleep, after cuddling with the youngest, who had a bad cold, and awoke to smoke. Lumbra got everyone out, but dashed back inside the house to call 911, he said.

Chief Collette said the call for the fire came in at 9:12 a.m., Tuesday. The entire structure was in flames by the time firefighters arrived, but they were able to knock back the fire quickly, and keep the fire from spreading to adjacent homes.

The heat was so high, that the external siding on the neighboring mobile home on the south side, about 20 feet away, had melted and buckled.

It took a couple hours more for firefighters to pull open the smoking structure, and thoroughly extinguish the hot spots.

East Randolph and Randolph Center departments also responded. Collette noted that the Center’s big new ladder truck proved very useful, as the ladder and platform were lowered over the mobile home, allowing firemen to cut open the roof, without standing on the building.

Although the departments’ tankers had to shuttle up and down Route 12A to get water at the fire station, there were enough tankers for a steady supply of water, Collette said.

White River Valley Ambulance remained on scene, and the Red Cross Disaster Response truck arrived to assist the family, before firefighters drove off at noon.

"Everything went as well as could be expected; no one was hurt," summarized Chief Collette.

The chief, however, stressed that this fire came with some sobering messages.

"Everyone needs to understand the importance of a smoke detection device," he said. "I cannot speak strongly enough about the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector in every home, and they should be operational."

Collette also cautioned against reëntering a building that is burning.

"Once you are out, stay out," he said. "It’s not fire, it’s the smoke."

Most fatalities from fires result from being "incapacitated by smoke," he noted.

"That stuff is bad; you’re not going to survive," he said. "You can find a phone anywhere."

Fast Response

Immediately in the wake of Tuesday’s fire, friends, family members, and the Red Cross took steps to help the Lumbra/Ward family.

The family is temporarily living with Lumbra’s father, Gene Lumbra Sr., in Randolph, while they search for a new home. That is their most pressing need, Cristy Ward said yesterday.

The couple has four sons, ages 2, 3, 5, and 10, and one daughter, 9.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross of Central Vermont/New Hampshire Valley responded by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, as firefighting efforts were still underway. The chapter is assisting with immediate needs, such as food, bedding, and replacement of clothing.

"This was a devastating fire, which destroyed their home, but it was also evident that the community is coming together to help their neighbors," says Jamie Devlin, interim executive director of the chapter.

Those wishing to help the family shouldn’t have any trouble finding a way to reach out.

An account—the Cristy Ward and Gene Lumbra Fire Disaster Fund—has been set up at Randolph National Bank to receive donations.

A friend and neighbor of the family, Candy Potrzeba, has set up collection cans in area businesses and helped to arrange two drop-off points for needed items, one at The Royal Butcher, where Cristy Ward works, and the other at the Mobile Acres laundry room. Potrzeba is urging those with items to donate to contact her at 728-7150, lest the family be overwhelmed with items they can’t use or have no place to store, at present.

Potrzeba noted the family, whom she described as very close and loving, had been working hard to make ends meet before the fire struck. Gene Lumbra has been recently laid off, and Cristy Ward is presently holding down two jobs, Potrzeba said.

Watch next week’s Herald for more details on relief efforts and fundraisers.