The Christmas Eve sun rose on a scene of devastation Saturday after fire ripped through the Kronberg Mobile Home Park in Perry, destroying two trailers and leaving their owners homeless at the holidays.
The fire started shortly before midnight in the home of Robert Lee Knisley at 500 Fourth St., and the high winds drove the flames southward to the unit next to Knisley’s, owned by Maria Torres. There were no injuries in the fire, but both trailers were destroyed.
GoFundMe pages have been set up for both victims. Knisley’s page can be found at Bobby lost everything in Christmas Eve fire, and Torres’ page can be found at Family’s House Burned Down.
Torres has three children ages 10, 3 and 1. Their clothing sizes are 18 (children, girl pants), 6t (boys) and 24 months. Lune Funez described her sister’s situation on the GoFundMe page:
“Hi, my name is Lune and I’m raising money for my oldest sister Maria. Her house caught on fire starting from her neighbor’s house fire the night before Christmas Eve. Luckily, my sister (single mother) was awake and woke her three children, Liliana (10), Abraham (3), and Leah (1) and brought them to safety. Unfortunately, my sister was about to get renter’s insurance but her trailer caught on fire before that could happen. The trailer burned completely down, with all of her and her children’s belongings inside of it. My sister worked so hard to have her own place that she moved into this year only for everything to be burned down. Anything will help, especially right before Christmas. Please share and donate what you can.”
Knisley, a Perry native and well known bon vivant, also lost everything, as described on his GoFundMe page:
“My old friend Bob’s home was completely destroyed this morning in a fire. He’s okay, but he lost everything and will need to start over from scratch. I know he’s got a lot of friends around Perry who will want to help, so here’s your chance. Merry Christmas, Bobby!”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Responding to the midnight fire were the Perry Police Department, Perry First Responders, Perry Volunteer Fire Department, Woodward Volunteer Fire Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s office and Dallas County EMS.
ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.
We all like Bob, but will all those who contribute to his GoFundMe also contribute to the single mother and her three children? They didn’t do anything to deserve to be homeless on Christmas Day! And since Bob has some money now, he as well should contribute to those he made homeless. J/s