COYLE — A Monday fire on Alder Street in Coyle didn’t just destroy a mobile home, it destroyed all the belongings of a family who had just moved into it over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The family of three — couple Jeanie Hannigan and Ian Bowyer, and Jeanie’s teenage son Michael — were living in a travel trailer when they bought the single wide mobile home about three months ago and had just completed renovations and moved the majority of their possessions into the home over Thanksgiving weekend, said Marilyn Hannigan, Michael’s grandmother.
Michael reportedly had watched the Monday night Seahawks game at a neighbor’s house before heading home to find the residence in the 100 block of Alder Street on fire. He found his mother and Bowyer at the travel trailer and the three called 9-1-1, Hannigan said.
Volunteer firefighters from the Quilcene Fire Rescue station 22 in Coyle were the first to arrive at the fire on the southern end of the Toandos Peninsula after receiving the dispatch call shortly before 9 p.m. Monday and the mobile home was already destroyed, Quilcene Fire Chief Frank Montone said.
The fire completely destroyed the home — which was not insured yet — and the family “lost everything,” Marilyn said.
The fire also damaged a neighboring guest house, before firefighters were able to contain it from spreading further, Montone said.
Marilyn is helping Jeanie — a former daughter-in-law — process calls and organize donations, as well as now housing Michael.
The family needs clothes, bedding, toiletries and household items. Marilyn said they do not have a place to store large household furniture yet, but they are working on finding a possible storage unit until the family finds a new home.
“They lost everything, so they can use everything,” Marilyn said. “But when you don’t have anywhere to put it, you’ve got to second guess this.”
Carrie Thompson, administrative assistant at the Quilcene School District is overseeing donations of gift cards to the family and has already received donations of Walmart, Target and other gift cards for the family, Thompson said.
The American Red Cross, Coyle Women’s Club and local businesses and churches also have been helping the family with donations and resources, Thompson said.
“We just now got the word out [Tuesday] night,” Thompson said, “The response has been great from the community.”
A friend of Marilyn’s is working on setting up a GoFundMe account and the online version of this story will be updated with the link once it is available.
People wanting to make a financial donation are encouraged to purchase gift cards and leave them with Thompson at the Quilcene School District located at 294715 U.S. Highway 101.
Those who want to make item donations are encouraged to contact Marilyn at 360-301-0632.
“What they really need is a place to live,” Marilyn said. “That’s what they basically need, a place to live.”
Donald Svetich, Deputy Fire Chief Quilcene Fire Rescue, said the investigator concluded the site evaluation Tuesday and is expected to release the finding of the cause of the fire in the coming weeks.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
