Howard "Pete" BURGHER
BURGHER, DAVIS, THOMAS, HULL, ESSLEY, HOLLANDER, MEYER
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/12/2011 at 18:01:25
KJAN-AM 1220 NEWS
June 7th, 2011
by Ric HansonState Fire Marshal Investigates Two Western Iowa Fires
The State Fire Marshal's Office has investigated two mobile home fires in parts of western Iowa this week. Each fire resulted in serious injury or death to its occupants and each home had no working smoke detectors.
On Saturday June 4, 2011 at 9:34 PM, firefighters responded to a fire at 227 12th St. in Fontanelle. Upon arrival, firefighters found the two occupants lying on the ground outside of the home. Each had sustained burn injuries. Both 63-year-old Susan DAVIS and 60-year-old Howard BURGHER were transported to the Adair County Hospital before being transported via life flight to the University of Iowa Burn Unit.
Howard BURGHER died at the Burn Unit on Sunday morning; an autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death. Susan DAVIS remains in critical condition at the U of I Burn Unit.
Local fire officials requested the Office of the State Fire Marshal investigate the cause of the Fontanelle fire. Investigating agents determined the fire was accidental and started by the careless discarding of smoking materials. Additionally, the pace of the fire was accelerated by the excessive storage of combustible materials. These storage items also restricted access to exits. There were no working smoke detectors in the home.
Today (Tuesday) at 2:15 AM, firefighters were called to 3510 North 9th St., Lot #213 in Carter Lake, on report of a fire. Upon arrival, Carter Lake Police entered the home and rescued the single occupant, 74 year old Donna THOMAS.
Thomas was transported to Creighton Hospital in Omaha, before being transported via life flight to the St. Elizabeth Burn Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. The woman sustained life-threatening injuries.
Local fire officials requested the Office of the State Fire Marshal investigate the cause of the Carter Lake fire. Agents determined that the fire is accidental with the fire originating from an electrical short in the wiring of a small appliance near THOMAS' bed.
Additionally, the pace of the fire was accelerated by the excessive storage of combustible materials. These storage items also restricted access to exits. There were no working smoke detectors in the Thomas home.
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Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Ringgold County, Iowa
June 7th, 2011One dead, two injured in two mobile home fires
Two separate fires at mobile homes in western Iowa have left one man dead and two women injured, state officials said Tuesday.
There was no working smoke detector in either home.
The first fire was reported Sunday night in Fontanelle, according to the state fire marshal's office. Firefighters found two people lying on the ground outside their home. Both were flown to a burn unit in Iowa City.
Howard BURGHER, 60, died there, and Susan DAVIS, 63, remains in critical condition. An autopsy of BURGHER is scheduled.
The fire was blamed on carelessly discarded smoking materials.
The second fire was reported early Tuesday in Carter Lake. Police entered the mobile home and rescued Donna THOMAS, 74. She was being treated at a burn unit in Lincoln, Neb.
The fire was blamed on an electrical short.
A Des Moines Register analysis last year showed that 10 percent of fire fatalities in Iowa during the past six years were inside mobile homes. Just 4 percent of Iowa homes are mobile homes.
At least five people, including three young children, have been killed in mobile home fires in 2011.
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OBITUARY ~ HOWARD "PETE" BURGHER
May 14, 1951 ~ June 5, 2011Howard Eugene (Pete) BURGHER, 60, of Fontenelle, passed away June 5, 2011 at University of Iowa Hospitals Burn Unit as a result of a house fire.
Pete, son of Noma Maxine HULL and Howard Daniel BURGHER, was born May 14, 1951 in Mount Ayr, Iowa. He graduated from high school in Smithton, Missouri in 1969.
Pete served two tours in the U.S. Army, serving in Germany.
Pete was an independent contractor with the Omaha World Herald distributing bulk newspapers to drop off points as well as delivering to his own customers.
Survivors include his sons Daniel Eugene BURGHER of Maryville, MO and Joshua David BURGHER of Bridgewater, Iowa; step-daughters Penny, Betty Ann, and Jeannie; several grandchildren; siblings Diana (Tom) DAVIS of Des Moines, IA, Norman (Royann) BURGHER of Tingley, IA, Lynita (Merl "Buddy") ESSLEY of Coal Camp, MO, and Jeanie (Frank) HOLLANDER of Winterset, IA.
Pete's wife, Sue DAVIS, survived him until her passing at University of Iowa Hospitals on June 8, 2011.
He was preceded in death by his father, Howard BURGHER; mother Noma BYRD; his first wife Martha Sue MEYER-BURGHER; and step-son Perry DAVIS.
A memorial fund has been established to the family.
Memorial Services were held on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM from Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home, 205 West Monroe St., Mount Ayr, Iowa, with interment at Ellston Cemetery, Ellston, IA
Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
www.watsonarmstrongfh.com/obituaries.aspx?turl=http://hosting-24708.tributes.com/show/Howard-Burgher-91666730
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2011
Ringgold Obituaries maintained by Tony Mercer.
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