Big Flats couple, two girls uninjured; two litters of puppies killed

fireworksinjuly · 05-02-2005, 02:37 PM

This family I know aparantly breeds Corgi's. I didnt know this before I read the article. Their house caught on fire last night. These people have never been my favorite and they bother me even more know. I mean yeah I feel bad that their house burnt down, but rather then saving their two litters of pups they saved...their CARS.
The cars are replacable, and would be payed for by insurance...the pups are not replaceable.
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Quote:

BIG FLATS -- A Big Flats family is homeless after a roaring blaze that took 13 fire departments to battle destroyed their rural home.

Tim and Shari DeGraw of Owen Hollow Road and their children were able to escape the intense flames unharmed but several dogs were lost in the fire. The DeGraws breed corgis and two recent litters of pups perished when the inferno engulfed the house.

The fire erupted shortly after 11:30 p.m., and after that, everything was a blur, Shari DeGraw said.

"It started on the front porch. My husband heard something and thought someone was coming up the drive," she said. "He opened the door and saw fire. My girls (ages 9 and 10) were in the bath. They had their cousin over. I got them out, and we went over to a neighbor's house.

"We went outside and saw one propane tank explode," Shari DeGraw said. "My husband and I tried to get the cars out. We couldn't get anything else out. We couldn't get back in. The smoke was too thick."

The DeGraws' house is in a sparsely populated area about four miles north of Interstate 86. The remoteness of the location made it difficult to fight the fire, said Big Flats Fire Chief Mike Ahrens.

"We had 13 fire departments there (Saturday) night. The water supply in a rural area is always a challenge," Ahrens said. "When we arrived on the scene, it was fully involved. There was no chance of saving it."

The Big Flats Fire Department got assistance from the Horseheads village, Tompkins Corners, Horseheads Town and Country, Golden Glow, West Hill, Caton, North Corning, Beaver Dams, Millport, Gibson, East Corning and Breesport fire departments.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, Ahrens said. The Chemung County fire investigation team is looking into the origin of the blaze. In the meantime, the DeGraws are staying with family members.

Tim DeGraw is a professional bowler. Shari is a pharmacist at the Medicine Shoppe.

The house was insured. Other than the cars, all of the family's belongings were destroyed.

"There was nothing we could do. By the time it all took place, the place was up in 15 minutes," Shari DeGraw said. "Even the neighbors said they couldn't believe how fast it went up. Oh, we lost everything."

http://www.stargazettenews.com/local/Molocal1.html

Ritz459 · 05-02-2005, 04:41 PM

I feel bad that the people lost there house but ya, like you said, something is wrong with a person if they choose their cars over their dogs. And from the article, they didn't sound so sad that the dogs died. I hope they just didn't value their dogs as "possesions".

***Cassiepeia*** · 05-02-2005, 04:51 PM

How awful!

But, we weren't there so maybe they really couldn't get the dogs out in time. People go into panic mode in situations like that, so if they really believed they couldn't get back in they were probably thinking, "what else can we save...we have to save something!".
Having said that, I think they should have evacuated the dogs along with the kids when they first left. That's what I would have done. Although, perhaps panic is to blame here too. After all, their children are even more important than the dogs, right?

Cass.

fireworksinjuly · 05-02-2005, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassiepeia

How awful!

But, we weren't there so maybe they really couldn't get the dogs out in time. People go into panic mode in situations like that, so if they really believed they couldn't get back in they were probably thinking, "what else can we save...we have to save something!".
Having said that, I think they should have evacuated the dogs along with the kids when they first left. That's what I would have done. Although, perhaps panic is to blame here too. After all, their children are even more important than the dogs, right?

Cass.

I agree, but knowing the couple, Id have so say they do value possesions over life.

dollface · 05-03-2005, 09:19 AM

Thats just sad all the way around....

Even if we had a fire I have told my kids to just worry about getting themselves out, cause they are more important then the animals any day....

Can't really say what was going on, where the dogs were to compared to where they were. At least the children got out safely that is the main thing.

eskilady · 05-09-2005, 01:28 PM

WOW! Fireworksinjuly, you are closer to me than I thought. Big Flats is not that far from me at all. We go shopping there alot at the Arnot Mall.

annie_so_pink · 07-10-2005, 10:04 AM

Where is your Big Flats?
Is it Big Flats, WI?

calgal · 07-10-2005, 10:16 AM

I think it's in upstate NY. I'm glad they all got out of the house, but so sad the pups had to die. I'm sure they didn't have a chance to rescue the dogs after they got the kids ouside. What a terrible thing to have happen to anyone.

clraymond · 07-10-2005, 12:39 PM

I'm so sad that the puppies died in the fire, but with all do respect I don't think it's fair to pass judgement on what someone would do in this type of situation. We have 3 pets, Chance (dog) Billy (cat) and Bella (guinea pig, or rat as I call her!) and I have 2 girls. If we had a fire, God forbid, my main concern would be my kids! How do you really know what you would do or how you would act or what you would be thinking about in that case. This was their home that was on fire so I can see them not thinking very clearly. Thank God they were able to get out and get their kids and the cousin out. It just sounded a little insensitve to me. Maybe the puppies were in a place that there was no way they were going to get to them.... who knows, none of us were there.

And just to add, sure insurance pays for your "car", but if the cars were paid in full, they will not get the full value they put into back from the insurance) so it's not like they were making a gold mine by saving the cars.

richnrissa · 07-15-2005, 12:12 AM

People are usually so unprepared for this kind of emergency, that they indeed panic or lose logical thinking.
My uncle is a firefighter, and he took all of us kids from the family to a training center at one time or another. It was a pretend house with pretend smoke in the dark, and it was SCARY. as soon as you cant see where you are going...you tend to freak out a bit.
After she got her kids out, she was probably so in shock from fire and smoke that they didnt think.
And, if they do think of their animals as possesions or $$$ makers, then I can see how theyre thought of 'well we have to same something" would go to cars...probably in a garage farther from the fire.

Novel · 07-15-2005, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annie_so_pink

Where is your Big Flats?
Is it Big Flats, WI?

That's what I thought too since it's just a few minutes from my house, Big Flats, Wisconsin that is, another very rural area...

shaerenae · 07-15-2005, 07:33 AM

How sad....I know my first priority would be the kids, but after saying that, our dogs are our kids, too, so of course, I would grab them, too (if the dogs didn't drag me out the door first!) I feel for anyone who has gone through a fire. My Dad's house burned down when I was in the 7th grade. I was living with my Mom at the time, but I had half of my "stuff" over there, and they lost everything...including several precious items that had been handed down to him from my Grandfather, who had passed away when I was 7. It was devastating! (but, no one was hurt, so that was the positive). No one really knows how they would react when tragedy strikes, until it happens to you, so we can't really judge someone else. It is a pity, though, that innocents have to die.

DarknessDivine · 07-15-2005, 07:38 AM

Talking as someone who had to escape a fire in the middle of the night, your mind is so boggled. But I grabbed my son 2yrs old at the time first and if I had any animals I would have went for them 2nd...excpet for cats as they tend to hide from fires.

blanco1066 · 10-07-2005, 06:27 PM

I thought I would shed a little light on the harsh and completely irresponsible comment made by Fireworksinjuly about my Uncle Tim & Aunt Sherri DeGraw. I'm sure that if the situation was reversed and if it was your house burning and your puppies that needed to be saved you would have heroically ran into the house to save them. To bad you wouldn't be able to tell anyone the story because you would be dead! Thankfully, my uncle Tim is much more intelligent than that, and as a result his children and wife are healthy and alive.

The house went up in flames within 15 minutes. Since you seem to be farmiliar with my family maybe your also aware that they have a rather large house. The fire started on the side on the house where the corgi's were and it would have been certain death for either of them to go in. The cars were in a garage on the other side of the property.

To Ritz459 who wrote "they didn't sound so sad the dogs died", last time I checked newspaper articles didn't come in surround sound. Do you have magic ears? Did you hear them crying in the article? Well I did! And when I spoke to my family not once did they mention their house, clothes, collectibles, family pictures, or furniture. They cried and talked about their baby Corgi's. My sister's comforted my neices who greived for those dogs while they stayed in my parents house.

For any of you to pass judgment on someone who endured something so tragic is disgusting. It's easy to talk about being heroic when your on the other side of the glass looking in.

TribalRats · 10-07-2005, 07:28 PM

Blanco,
I was not here when this thread began but I do think this is a good example on why not to pass immediate judgement on someone whos shoes we have not walked in. I am sure we have all been guilty of this at some point in our lives.
I am so sorry for your families loss and I hope they are well on there way to rebuilding there lives. I con not imagine the empty feeling of loosing your beloved family pets as well as all of your worldy possessions. I hope your neices are recovering and beginning to feel safe again.

05-02-2005, 04:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ritz459 "Nothing is ever easy" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 5,680 Blog Entries: 3 Rep Power: 234	I feel bad that the people lost there house but ya, like you said, something is wrong with a person if they choose their cars over their dogs. And from the article, they didn't sound so sad that the dogs died. I hope they just didn't value their dogs as "possesions".
	__________________ ~Blackie, Rose, Chloe (dogs), Pheobe (cat), Casey, Dameon (ferrets), Joey ('Tiel), Dot, Louie (cavies), Pickachu (hamster), Rush (R.I.P. 15yrs), Lucy (R.I.P. 4yrs)~

05-02-2005, 04:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
*Cassiepeia* Chihuahua Mum Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 8,281 Blog Entries: 9 Rep Power: 284	How awful! But, we weren't there so maybe they really couldn't get the dogs out in time. People go into panic mode in situations like that, so if they really believed they couldn't get back in they were probably thinking, "what else can we save...we have to save something!". Having said that, I think they should have evacuated the dogs along with the kids when they first left. That's what I would have done. Although, perhaps panic is to blame here too. After all, their children are even more important than the dogs, right? Cass.
	__________________ Say NO! to animals in pet shops. Rescue a friend instead: Petfinder Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Book Club ~ Blogs ~ Art Classes ~ Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

05-03-2005, 09:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
dollface 4 Boston Terriers Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Saskatchewan Posts: 903 Rep Power: 101	Thats just sad all the way around.... Even if we had a fire I have told my kids to just worry about getting themselves out, cause they are more important then the animals any day.... Can't really say what was going on, where the dogs were to compared to where they were. At least the children got out safely that is the main thing.
	__________________ The only thing worse then a fool Is the person that argue's with one A dog is only as smart as their owner

05-09-2005, 01:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
eskilady American Eskimo Dog lover Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: upstate NY Posts: 161 Rep Power: 73	WOW! Fireworksinjuly, you are closer to me than I thought. Big Flats is not that far from me at all. We go shopping there alot at the Arnot Mall.
	__________________ Eskilady Mom to Maizie (9), Milo (6), Molly (5) and baby Mona plus bridgekids Motli, Margie and Misha http://www.geocities.com/fingerlakeclub/Miracle.html

07-10-2005, 12:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
clraymond Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 264 Rep Power: 71	I'm so sad that the puppies died in the fire, but with all do respect I don't think it's fair to pass judgement on what someone would do in this type of situation. We have 3 pets, Chance (dog) Billy (cat) and Bella (guinea pig, or rat as I call her!) and I have 2 girls. If we had a fire, God forbid, my main concern would be my kids! How do you really know what you would do or how you would act or what you would be thinking about in that case. This was their home that was on fire so I can see them not thinking very clearly. Thank God they were able to get out and get their kids and the cousin out. It just sounded a little insensitve to me. Maybe the puppies were in a place that there was no way they were going to get to them.... who knows, none of us were there. And just to add, sure insurance pays for your "car", but if the cars were paid in full, they will not get the full value they put into back from the insurance) so it's not like they were making a gold mine by saving the cars.
	__________________ LORI

07-10-2005, 10:04 AM	#7 (permalink)
annie_so_pink Rescue a dog=Save a life Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 900 Rep Power: 81	Where is your Big Flats? Is it Big Flats, WI?

07-10-2005, 10:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,783 Rep Power: 229	I think it's in upstate NY. I'm glad they all got out of the house, but so sad the pups had to die. I'm sure they didn't have a chance to rescue the dogs after they got the kids ouside. What a terrible thing to have happen to anyone.

07-15-2005, 12:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
richnrissa Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: WA Posts: 862 Rep Power: 84	People are usually so unprepared for this kind of emergency, that they indeed panic or lose logical thinking. My uncle is a firefighter, and he took all of us kids from the family to a training center at one time or another. It was a pretend house with pretend smoke in the dark, and it was SCARY. as soon as you cant see where you are going...you tend to freak out a bit. After she got her kids out, she was probably so in shock from fire and smoke that they didnt think. And, if they do think of their animals as possesions or $$$ makers, then I can see how theyre thought of 'well we have to same something" would go to cars...probably in a garage farther from the fire.

07-15-2005, 07:33 AM	#12 (permalink)
shaerenae Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 711 Rep Power: 79	How sad....I know my first priority would be the kids, but after saying that, our dogs are our kids, too, so of course, I would grab them, too (if the dogs didn't drag me out the door first!) I feel for anyone who has gone through a fire. My Dad's house burned down when I was in the 7th grade. I was living with my Mom at the time, but I had half of my "stuff" over there, and they lost everything...including several precious items that had been handed down to him from my Grandfather, who had passed away when I was 7. It was devastating! (but, no one was hurt, so that was the positive). No one really knows how they would react when tragedy strikes, until it happens to you, so we can't really judge someone else. It is a pity, though, that innocents have to die.
	__________________ Sherilyn Winjammin' Corgis http://winjammin.home.mchsi.com/ We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. -M. Acklam

07-15-2005, 07:38 AM	#13 (permalink)
DarknessDivine Boxer Mom Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Louisville,Ky Posts: 1,239 Rep Power: 103	Talking as someone who had to escape a fire in the middle of the night, your mind is so boggled. But I grabbed my son 2yrs old at the time first and if I had any animals I would have went for them 2nd...excpet for cats as they tend to hide from fires.
	__________________ Boxer Talk

10-07-2005, 06:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
blanco1066 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	I thought I would shed a little light on the harsh and completely irresponsible comment made by Fireworksinjuly about my Uncle Tim & Aunt Sherri DeGraw. I'm sure that if the situation was reversed and if it was your house burning and your puppies that needed to be saved you would have heroically ran into the house to save them. To bad you wouldn't be able to tell anyone the story because you would be dead! Thankfully, my uncle Tim is much more intelligent than that, and as a result his children and wife are healthy and alive. The house went up in flames within 15 minutes. Since you seem to be farmiliar with my family maybe your also aware that they have a rather large house. The fire started on the side on the house where the corgi's were and it would have been certain death for either of them to go in. The cars were in a garage on the other side of the property. To Ritz459 who wrote "they didn't sound so sad the dogs died", last time I checked newspaper articles didn't come in surround sound. Do you have magic ears? Did you hear them crying in the article? Well I did! And when I spoke to my family not once did they mention their house, clothes, collectibles, family pictures, or furniture. They cried and talked about their baby Corgi's. My sister's comforted my neices who greived for those dogs while they stayed in my parents house. For any of you to pass judgment on someone who endured something so tragic is disgusting. It's easy to talk about being heroic when your on the other side of the glass looking in.
blanco1066 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0

10-07-2005, 07:28 PM	#15 (permalink)
TribalRats Take Responsibility Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 3,327 Rep Power: 145	Blanco, I was not here when this thread began but I do think this is a good example on why not to pass immediate judgement on someone whos shoes we have not walked in. I am sure we have all been guilty of this at some point in our lives. I am so sorry for your families loss and I hope they are well on there way to rebuilding there lives. I con not imagine the empty feeling of loosing your beloved family pets as well as all of your worldy possessions. I hope your neices are recovering and beginning to feel safe again.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

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