It is with great sadness that I inform our community about a tragedy that occurred this afternoon. Bob and Tracy Davoust, whose son Stephan is a 9th grader here at AHS lost their home to a fast moving fire Wednesday afternoon. The family was not home at the time of the incident and neighbors alerted Durango Fire and Rescue to the blaze. The school wishes to send our deepest regrets to the family and we are relieved to hear everyone is safe. Stephan completed his tPOL today at school and I’m sure he’d love to hear from his classmates over the next couple of days. As most of his peers know, Stephen was an avid reptile keeper and I’m sorry to report the loss of his snake, turtle and gecko.
We’ll provide further updates as they become available. Please email the AHS Head of School with questions or concerns. I thank you all for keeping Bob, Tracy and the boys in your thoughts and prayers and we look forward to supporting them through these challenging times. A report from the Durango Herald is included below.
Respectfully,
Michael Ackerman
http://www.durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/05/26/Fire_destroys_Durango_home/
Fire destroys Durango home
No one injured in 1:30 p.m. blaze
by Shane BenjaminHerald Staff Writer
Article Last Updated; Wednesday, May 26, 2010 2:39PM
Photo by SHAUN STANLEY/Herald
Left, Cheryl Schlabach and Anne Connors,far right, comfort Tracy Davoust, center, as she watches the house she and her family live in burn this afternoon at 2431 Needham Court in Durango as members of the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority extinguish the flames.
Fire destroyed a house and left a family temporarily homeless Wednesday in Durango after an explosion was heard by neighbors.
The blaze was reported about 1:30 p.m. when neighbors heard a blast and saw smoke billowing in the west Durango neighborhood, at 2431 Needham Court.
“We heard something that sounded like a blast and we looked outside and saw flames," said Margie Myers, who was eating lunch with friends next door. “They were just shooting pretty high.
The house is owned by Cheryl Schlabach, who lives next door and rents the home to Bob and Tracy Davoust.
The Davousts have two sons; Mr. Davoust owns an auto repair shop in Durango, according to neighbors.
“They're a wonderful family," Schlabach said. “It's such a nice quiet street. There's hardly anything that happens on this street."
The fire appears to have started on the back porch, but the exact cause remained under investigation, said Dave Abercrombie, spokesman with the Durango Fire & Rescue Authority. No one was home when the fire started.
“It's been pretty well gutted," Abercrombie said.
Anne Connors, who was also eating lunch next door when the fire broke out, said the flames filled the living room and moved fast.
“When you run out of the house and you see billowing smoke like that, it's really freaky," Connors said. “This is so sad. This is the most precious family. Not that this should happen to anybody, but it's sad when it's just such a great, hardworking family.
No injuries were reported, however, a turtle, snake and fish may have been inside the house.
shane@durangoherald.com
