‘We’re lucky we didn’t quite lose everything’

Times Reporter

 

The Holiday season can be a tough time of year for many people. For one woman and her son it became just a little tougher. On Nov. 30, an electrical fire ripped through Laverne Diegel’s home, just off of Highway 1 and Range Rd. 263.  

“We were lucky we didn’t quite lose everything but it’s still quite devastating,” said Diegel, who lived in the home with her youngest son.  

She lost all of her clothes to the fire, but still managed to joke about how most women have stuff in their closets they don’t really wear. She said it wasn’t a total loss, but she was upset about some of the new things she had just bought. 

“To me, it’s better losing some clothes than a life,” said Diegel.  

She and her son had just gotten home within a few minutes of each other, and had decided to go eat at the Oriental Gardens in Strathmore. They left just before 4:30, had dinner and lingered over a pot of tea. She said they were back at the house in about 45 minutes.  

Her son tried going upstairs, but couldn’t because it was getting hot. He could see the flames starting, so she told him they had to get out. Diegel said they had no idea if it was going to blow from the gas. They know they didn’t leave anything on the stove because they were only home for five minutes. 

“We didn’t smell anything, and that was the funny part of it,” said Diegel. 

The fire department came, and EMS checked them out because they both had smoke inhalation. It took a few days for the fire department to deem it safe, and then they were allowed to go back and see what was salvageable. The fire began in her bedroom and she was told it was from her lamp, which was plugged in behind her bed. 

“My furniture is okay, it has to be cleaned I guess. I never realized the amount of soot from a fire because you just see the smoke going up and billowing out and you wouldn’t think….just so much devastation, so much,” said Diegel.  

Somebody had given them a trailer and they were just going to stay out there with the animals but she said the landlord vetoed that due to a lack of proper insurance for people staying outside. It was a disappointment to Diegel and her son because they had enjoyed being there. 

“We found another acreage, it’s just off of 84 St. and 14 Ave., so we really lucked out. Well eventually we lucked out.”

One thing that never entered her mind during the fire was running in to rescue any of her things. She was more concerned about their safety then she was about material items.  

It wasn’t until she was sifting through the salvageable items that she realized what was lost.  

“I looked on the bright side, I mean we didn’t lose everything,” said Diegel. 

She said friends and neighbours came together to help them out, and her sons who work for the City of Calgary and their particular office gathered together $700 for her and her youngest son. She used the money to get her bedroom set so she once again has a bed to sleep on. Despite having a rough time, Diegel seemed to be in good spirits and is looking toward the future while salvaging what she can from the past.