Woman, 2 great-grandkids escape blaze that destroys Leader home
A woman and her two great-grandchildren escaped safely Saturday night when the grandmother's home in Leader caught fire.
Motley Fire Chief Dave Greig said the home of Ruth Boldan was a total loss. Greig said the family was able to get out of the house without any injuries.
The fire was reported at 8:53 p.m. Motley firefighters and six Pillager firefighters fought the fire until 3:52 a.m. Sunday. Greig said the fire rekindled again around 4:45 p.m. and firefighters were at the scene until around 7 p.m. extinguishing the flames.
The Leader home of Ruth Boldan, a former Brainerd area elementary school teacher, was lost to fire Saturday night. Motley Fire Chief Dave Greig said he believes the fire started because of an electrical-related problem involving a solar panel.
Greig said he believes the fire started because of an electrical-related problem involving a solar panel that was located on the south side of the house.
In a telephone interview Monday, Boldan, 86, said her great-grandchildren Kelsie and Logan Wiete, the children of Dawn and Jeff Wiete, were on the computer when the lights went out. Boldan said she went in the basement to check out the electrical breakers when Kelsie, 10, heard something crackling so she went outside to investigate and she saw flames. Kelsie went back into the house to get Logan, 6, and herself out of the house.
"We're very lucky that we were not asleep," said Boldan. "We walked out of the house with just our coats and boots on."
Kelly Boldan, the son of Ruth Boldan, in an e-mail, said "The family was getting out of the house when a Bemidji couple was driving by on Highway 64. The couple came to the house and invited Boldan and the children to stay in their car to stay warm. And they called 911.
Boldan wrote, "My family reports the Bemidji couple's help was outstanding until family and friends could arrive. Also, the phone had been knocked out, so the 911 call by the Bemidji couple was critical."
Boldan was a longtime teacher in the Brainerd School District. She taught at Baxter and the former Lincoln Elementary School. The Wietes are students at the Crosslake Charter School.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.