Two Ranchos families homeless after fire

Two Gardnerville Ranchos families are out of their homes after a fire early this morning.

The fire started in the garage of a duplex at 1432B Kimmerling Road at about 4:20 a.m., according to Capt. Terry Taylor of the East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts.

Both families living in the duplex, one with four children and the other with two children, escaped the burning building safely, Taylor said.

Firefighters from East Fork, Sheridan, Gardnerville, Fish Springs and Ruhenstroth responded to the blaze. Firefighters are still on scene mopping up.

Both families were renting and didn't have renter's insurance, Taylor said. Damage to the building and its contents will exceed $200,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Neighbor Mark Trujillo said his wife woke him up when she heard voices and then yelling.

"I ran over with an extinguisher, but it was too late," he said.

Trujillo said the family had conducted fire drills and that they were out seconds after the fire started.

"The fire department was there pretty quick," he said.

Taylor said the Red Cross has responded to the fire.

"The family in B has lost everything," he said. "But the mom was a stickler that when the smoke alarms went off, she would say 'it's a fire drill, let's go.' Those kids knew to get out and go to their meeting spot, which is great."

Taylor confirmed that the building is uninhabitable. Both families have an infant.