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Owners of burned KS store struggle to rebuild lives
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| The KS Store in Kansas Settlement burns Jan. 26. The store, bar and a home were destroyed. (PHOTO COURTESY/Reilly Loerzel) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
A Willcox-area family is struggling to rebuild their lives a week after an accidental fire destroyed their home and business.
The Kansas Settlement Store burned to the ground last Tuesday morning in what is believed to be an electrical fire.
Emilio Cornejo and his family are living with family members in Benson, where he has also found a part-time job.
They are currently looking for a place to rent in the Kansas Settlement area.
"We are doing better," Cornejo told the Range News Monday.
"The insurance company is supposed to send me a check to rent a place and for clothes and other things, but I haven't seen it yet."
Those who want to offer assistance can go to Compass Bank in Willcox, where an account has been set up to benefit the family of two adults and three children.
Family friends Laurie Smallwood and Geri Miller, both of Willcox, are trying to help out by collecting items the family needs.
"The insurance is going to take a long time," Smallwood told the Range News Monday.
"We've gotten a lot of clothing and blankets, which is good," she said. "There are still just a lot of needs, like furniture, dishes, pots and pans."
The family has two girls ages six and 13, as well as a nine-year-old boy.
Needed items may be dropped off at the home of Geri Miller, at 8331 S. Kansas Settlement Road. Miller's phone number is (520) 384-2006, and Smallwood can be reached at (520) 254-5412.
"A lot of people have been stopping by and asking what they can do," said Smallwood, adding, "It's bad enough losing your home or business, but to lose everything at once is devastating."
Cornejo said that he had opened the store at about 7 a.m. last Tuesday, when "one of the farmers came in and said to me, 'you'd better get out. You've got a fire coming out of the roof."
"I went and looked outside, then went in the house and woke up my wife," he told the Range News.
"We had one minute to take things out," said Cornejo, adding, "We took a little bit."
Fortunately, the Cornejo's three children had taken the bus to school five or 10 minutes earlier.
Spokeswoman Carol Capas said the Cochise County Sheriff's Department received the call at about 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
The man who called it in reported that he could see smoke and flames coming from the building at 8198 S Kansas Settlement Road.
Cornejo said the fire is believed to have started in an electrical wire between the ceiling and roof.
Willcox Rural, Sunsites, Willcox City, and Elfrida Fire Departments all responded, said Capt. Jerry Giudice with the Willcox City Fire Department.
Crews fought the fire for about four and a half hours, he said.
"It was just too late," Cornejo said. "It was already a big fire. We're still alive, that's the important thing."
The Cornejos, who previously lived in Benson, bought the Kansas Settlement Store about seven months ago. Emilio believes it was first constructed in 1982, he said.
With all the community support they've received, Cornejo plans on rebuilding his home and business "depending on what the insurance says. We're going to talk about it."
"I want to thank all of the people who have already helped me," he told the Range News. "I love everybody."
The Kansas Settlement Store burned to the ground last Tuesday morning in what is believed to be an electrical fire.
Emilio Cornejo and his family are living with family members in Benson, where he has also found a part-time job.
They are currently looking for a place to rent in the Kansas Settlement area.
"We are doing better," Cornejo told the Range News Monday.
"The insurance company is supposed to send me a check to rent a place and for clothes and other things, but I haven't seen it yet."
Those who want to offer assistance can go to Compass Bank in Willcox, where an account has been set up to benefit the family of two adults and three children.
Family friends Laurie Smallwood and Geri Miller, both of Willcox, are trying to help out by collecting items the family needs.
"The insurance is going to take a long time," Smallwood told the Range News Monday.
"We've gotten a lot of clothing and blankets, which is good," she said. "There are still just a lot of needs, like furniture, dishes, pots and pans."
The family has two girls ages six and 13, as well as a nine-year-old boy.
Needed items may be dropped off at the home of Geri Miller, at 8331 S. Kansas Settlement Road. Miller's phone number is (520) 384-2006, and Smallwood can be reached at (520) 254-5412.
"A lot of people have been stopping by and asking what they can do," said Smallwood, adding, "It's bad enough losing your home or business, but to lose everything at once is devastating."
Cornejo said that he had opened the store at about 7 a.m. last Tuesday, when "one of the farmers came in and said to me, 'you'd better get out. You've got a fire coming out of the roof."
"I went and looked outside, then went in the house and woke up my wife," he told the Range News.
"We had one minute to take things out," said Cornejo, adding, "We took a little bit."
Fortunately, the Cornejo's three children had taken the bus to school five or 10 minutes earlier.
Spokeswoman Carol Capas said the Cochise County Sheriff's Department received the call at about 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
The man who called it in reported that he could see smoke and flames coming from the building at 8198 S Kansas Settlement Road.
Cornejo said the fire is believed to have started in an electrical wire between the ceiling and roof.
Willcox Rural, Sunsites, Willcox City, and Elfrida Fire Departments all responded, said Capt. Jerry Giudice with the Willcox City Fire Department.
Crews fought the fire for about four and a half hours, he said.
"It was just too late," Cornejo said. "It was already a big fire. We're still alive, that's the important thing."
The Cornejos, who previously lived in Benson, bought the Kansas Settlement Store about seven months ago. Emilio believes it was first constructed in 1982, he said.
With all the community support they've received, Cornejo plans on rebuilding his home and business "depending on what the insurance says. We're going to talk about it."
"I want to thank all of the people who have already helped me," he told the Range News. "I love everybody."
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