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'All you can do is have faith'
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Photo by Eric Johnson
Austin firefighters work outside a home along Highway 218 North Tuesday afternoon as smoke and flames eat away at the second floor.
Fire severely damaged a home in rural Lansing Township Tuesday afternoon that had suffered another fire last October.
Austin firefighters, with assistance from Brownsdale, were dispatched to a home rented by John Ryther, 35, at 24767 Highway 218 North at around 1:16 p.m.
Flames were witnessed in the top floor of the residence when firefighters arrived.
Ryther and three of his four children — ages 7, 9 and 12 — were home at the time of the fire. He said the children were home sick at the time and were upstairs while John was downstairs watching TV.
According to the Mower County Sheriff’s office, the fire began in the upstairs bedroom area.
Ryther told deputies that he ran upstairs when the smoke detector went off. He said he saw a fluid of some kind in the bathtub and then saw carpet on fire and smoke coming from the 12-year-old son’s bedroom.
“We had the fire start rapidly upstairs,” Ryther said. “I’m not real clear what started it, but there was no stopping it.”
Ryther said that himself and the three children made it out of the house just in time. A fourth child was at school. Nobody was injured.
“We’re lucky to get out,” Ryther said.
Ryther indicated that he tried to get a bucket of water on the blaze before heavy smoke drove him from the house. His daughter called 911.
“I went back in to get what I could, but the smoke was intense so I went back out,” Ryther said.
According to deputies the son admitted to having a can of gasoline in his room, though he denied lighting it. The son said that when the gas caught fire he kicked it and it rolled under the bed.
He then said that he took the can and threw it in the bathtub. According to the report, the son was unable to explain to deputies why there was gas in the room.
This is the second fire the family has had to endure in a four-month period. In mid-October, a fire was started on the porch of the residence when a candle was knocked over and ignited a couch.
Ryther’s two daughters were at home sick at the time, but neither was injured.
“It’s devastating,” Ryther said from outside his burned home Tuesday. “I don’t know what to think. All you can do is have faith.”
The house suffered smoke and fire damage to both floors of the house. The property is owned by Wally Bustad.
Ryther didn’t have renter’s insurance.
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Comments
Posted by Ifyouaskme (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Two careless fires in four months? Child protection services should investigate why a parent would allow a small child to have a can of gas in their room.
Also, both fires occurred when children were at home. Is there no adult supervision at this home?
Maybe the third fire will be the one that it takes to make these parents wake up. They have two choices---protect your children or plan their funerals. Hopefully, it won't take a tragedy to teach them this basic skill.
Posted by 128capricorn (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This seems all too obvious. Let's pray there is an investigation not only of the fire, etc., but of the parent(s) as well.
Posted by chevygal79 (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well maybe you people can't read, a 12 year old isn't a small child, child yes but not real small. Kids do things bad even when you watch them like a hawk and the first time was an accdent. It could happen to anyone. There was a house fire caused by a candle a couple weeks ago and I didn't see anyone trashing them. How would you feel if your house was just distroyed by fire and then read what people are saying about your parenting. Think about it!!!!
Posted by 128capricorn (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Chevygal-when was the last time you or your children played with a gas can in your bedroom?
Posted by chevygal79 (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's not what I was saying. Don't judd that the father was not parenting. The kids could have got it in the house when dad was outside of something. I'm not getting into a pissing match, just wanted people to change spots and see how they would feel in his shoes.
Posted by Rhino (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How i would feel in his shoes???? two fires in my house.... i would feel.... like an idiot, embarrassed, retarded and not worthy enough to be resposible of a humane life or any other life. Hello???? i dont care how old they are... they are a children till they are adults, there is no inbetween. When my kids are in my care, i dont care if i am home or in a store or at a friends house... i know where my kids are and what they are doing. Its called parenting!
Posted by lovingmom (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just so you all know, Mr Ryther is a single father raising
4 children on his own. His 7-year-old daughter is classmates
with my daughter. I plan to do what I can to help by
giving her all of my daughters clothes that she has out grown from last year.
I'm not a perfect parent yet nor will I ever be, and chose
not to judge because we will ALL be judged someday!!
Posted by leftthehatebehind (anonymous) on January 21, 2009 at 11:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lovingmom- that is a wonderful thing you are doing for him. He is a good guy and this is too bad it has happened to his family again.
Posted by chevygal79 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AMEN to that lovingmom...My daughter is also a friend of them and we are going to help with the family also. Glad to see there are still some good citizans.
Posted by Ifyouaskme (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, the poor father is a single parent to four children--does this relieve him of his responsibility to supervise the safety of these children? I don't think so. Did he not choose to have four children? If you can't handle one, then why is two, three, four or more a better idea?
I feel sorry for the children who have lost clothing, toys, and their home. But, maybe all those things and supervison are available at suitable foster homes while the father takes parenting classes.
Again, there was no tragedy of loss of life the first time, or the second time, should we wait for the third time?
Posted by jjl (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If parents could follow their kids around night and day there would never be a suicide attempt, or a bike accident, or a broken bone or a poked eye... I remember sneaking things into my room and my brothers were worse at trying antics and my mom was always home. Parents won't always know everything that goes on in a house. And maybe the 12 year old has issues that you don't even know about.
Posted by lzj579 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why does this need to fall back on the dad, "Ifyouaskme"? Kids will be kids and if they make a poor choice, well then there will be a consequence for that kid. I'm a mother of 3 boys and it was a piece of cake raising them when they were little compared to what I am facing now that they are older and in school. I am shocked at what my children hear and learn at school from other kids! My son just brought home a pocket knife the other day from another kid, so is this my fault? What if my son would have hurt himself or someone else before I found it? Is this my fault?
My point is... what if this boy heard about some trick with gas and a pop bottle at school, then went home to try it, and now this is the result? It's not the dad's fault now is it.
Unfortunately, some kids are just going to learn the hard way.
I know this family and they are wonderful people! I plan on helping in any way I can. My love and support goes to them.
Posted by lzj579 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Perfectly said jjl!
Posted by Ifyouaskme (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, excuse me--but if the family consists of ONE adult and FOUR children---who is suppose to be in charge? Yes, Izj579--you came across the pocket knife your kid brought home. Would it be better if you didnt find it so you wouldn't have to be responsible if he hurt himself or another child?
Previous to this knife incident--did you teach your son that knives can be used as weapons, that knives should be used by adults only or under supervision and if someone gave him something dangerous he should not take it and tell you about it? I'm not saying you can be with your child 24/7 --but you are responsible for his well being all the same!
If parents would take the TIME to spend with their kids and TEACH them some discipline, rules, and common sense, it would prevent a lot of bad things happening to the household. That is why America is such a great place to live--we all have rights but no responsibility. I bet you would be the first person to hire a lawyer if your kid got hurt with that knife because another parent wasnt responsible with THEIR kid--and your kid got hurt because of it.
Please note I have never said the family in the article was not a "good family" or "good people" just irresponsible!
Posted by leftthehatebehind (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ifyouaskme.... are you even a parent? If not, shut up.
And to the others, well said!
Posted by lzj579 (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ifyouaskme, One adult can be in charge of 4 children!
I'm so glad I did find the knife before someone got hurt. I have talked to my boys over and over about the dangers of weapons, drugs, fires etc., but what did my son do?? He made a bad choice! He tried to sneak this knife in and around me. He was being a kid.
Don't get me wrong, I don't use "he was being a kid" as an excuse in front of him. He now has consequences for his actions and all I can do is hope that he doesn't try and pull it off again.
To your other comment: No, I am not one of these parents that would hire a lawyer if my kid got hurt. I am a very open-minded person and I always look at both sides of the fence before any actions....and most importantly, I don't judge no one!
My son snuck away to a friends house this summer and got severely hurt over there. I didn't blame that parent for not watching them, I didn't sue them when I got the bill from the hospital. (I have more common sense than that - I have 3 boys)
My son had to learn a lesson the hard way! That was his result from sneaking away and goofing off without parental guidance.
In addition to this story: It saddens me that the first comment posted to this article was to blame the dad for irresponsibility. Isn't he going through enough right now?
Where is the compassion and instead of telling him what he did wrong or what he didn't do right, why not ask "what can I do to help"?? and if you don't want to help this family out, then stay out of it!
Posted by Ifyouaskme (anonymous) on January 22, 2009 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To "leftthehatebehind" yes, I am a parent and a grandparent. I also come from a very large family. Yes, I understand that "kids will be kids" and make wrong decisions and hopefully, like lzj579 said--learn the consequences.
However, to look the other way when there has been two house fires in four months and both times children were home is being neglectful.
I have compassion in the sense that children are our gifts to be protected. That is all my message is--let's give priority to our children to teach them to be safe.
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