Family surveys fire damage

Published 12:00 am Sunday, September 16, 2007

By Sarah Light, staff writer

NEW RICHLAND &8212; The family whose home burned down earlier this week about nine miles northwest of New Richland gathered Friday at the site to survey the damage and to talk about a few of the good memories they shared there over the years.

According to Trevor Kanewischer, an investigator with the Waseca County Sheriff&8217;s Office, a call about the fire came in early Wednesday at about 2 or 3 a.m. Nobody was home at the time. New Richland and Waldorf fire departments responded at the scene, along with the New Richland ambulance.

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At this time, Kanewischer said, the cause of the blaze has still not been determined; however, it is not considered a suspicious fire.

As the family has struggled to accept what has happened, they said they are thinking back to many of the funny and positive memories they shared at the house when they were there.

That way they don&8217;t get too bogged down with the sadness of the situation, said mother Chris Ryan, known to many as &8220;Mama Ryan.&8221;

She and her family had lived in the home &8212; on 26321 80th Street &8212; since 1993.

&8220;This was just everybody&8217;s house,&8221; said her daughter, Katie Hasselquist. &8220;They wouldn&8217;t knock, they&8217;d just come in.&8221;

Chris said she was working a graveyard shift when the fire started, and her husband, Shane, was in New Jersey working at the time. He flew back immediately after he heard the news.

The two most important things she hoped were saved from the fire &8212;

the belongings of her daughter, Angela, who died in a car accident, and her cats &8212; were also destroyed, she said.

&8220;We have nothing,&8221; Chris said.

Shane said he anticipates he will stay for about a week before he returns to New Jersey to work.

&8220;I&8217;d like to thank everyone that&8217;s helped me out,&8221; Shane said. &8220;I can&8217;t thank them enough.&8221;

The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross.

People interested in donating to the Ryans can do so at the New Richland State Bank at 103 N. Broadway Ave.