Fire destroys Iolan’s home

When the telephone rang at 3 a.m. Sunday, Kay Tindel had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, a dispatcher at Allen County’s 911 center was on the line informing Tindel her home was on fire. At the time, Tindel, 70, was visiting her daughter, Krystal Housel, in Independence.
The fire consumed the two-story house at 512 S. Colborn, leaving just a part of its rear wall standing. All of Tindel’s furniture and belongings, including family keepsakes, were destroyed. Tindel had lived alone. No one was in the home when it caught fire at about 2:45 a.m.
“That was a relief,” said Trevor Shannon, a firefighter assigned to keep watch over the house. Firefighters had cleared the scene by 9:48 a.m. A Kansas fire marshal was expected this morning to investigate the scene.
No cause was immediately determined, although it appeared the fire started in the front part of the house.
Brad Yoder, Iola recreation director, was returning home from a family reunion in the wee hours of Sunday morning and was driving on Madison Avenue when he smelled smoke, firefighters said. He drove south, saw flames inside the Tindel residence and called 911.
Neighbors, aroused by the clamor of firefighters arriving, said flames were shooting 60 to 70 feet above the house and created a heat zone that reached a house across the street east.
“The house siding was too hot to touch,” said Jerry Sigg, who grew up in the neighborhood and whose brother, Vic, lives there.
Firefighters sprayed the Sigg house and others nearby to ensure they wouldn’t become involved, Sigg said.
Trees near the Tindel house were singed.
Providence had a role in the disaster.
Tindel said her daughter recently moved to a larger home and on Saturday came to Iola and carried her bed, “from when she was a little girl,” and other things to Independence.
Two motorcycles Tindel owns were in an adjacent garage. Those on the scene moved one across the street, but overlooked one under a tarp, which Tindel said “looks to be OK.” The garage didn’t catch fire.
Tindel had lived in the house about 30 years and had made updates when finances allowed.
“I put on a new roof and added new windows,” she said. “I don’t have any idea how the fire started. I suppose it might had been something electrical.”
Tindel has had eye problems that were improving, but she suffered a setback after being shocked by the revelation that her home was on fire.
“The double vision was about cleared up but it got pretty bad today, I guess from the stress,” she said Sunday evening.
Tindel retired two years ago from working at Jefferson Elementary as a paraprofessional. She drove a bus part time until the eye problems surfaced. She also volunteers at Allen County Hospital and assists with blood drives.
Tindel said her faith would help her cope with the adversity.
“We have an awesome God,” she said. “You just have to have faith that He will see you through. I know a lot of people are praying for me.”
Tindel said she would remain with her daughter and her family in Independence for the time being.