Fire Fire Fire!

Thankfully, it's not my fire, but it touches us deeply.

Waking this morning, Laura found that she had a voice mail from Brianna who is the roommate of my co-worker Dustin Murano who brings us Lenore to watch.  It turns out that Dustin's wife has set fire to Dustin's house while Brianna was sleeping.  Thankfully, Brianna was able to escape the house with her life.

Dustin and Lenore are also safe.  Sadly the dog, cats, and bird did not survive.  The house is at this point condemned and will need a full gutting, six to eight months to repair.  Dustin was fully insured with USAA.

Dustin is still having a long court battle to divorce his wife, but it's far from final.  I can imagine though this will accelerate things.  I am told that Dustin's wife, Ashley, was able to board a plane to Utah, but that the police should be waiting to make an arrest at the other end.  She will be charged with both arson and attempted manslaughter because Brianna was still in the house.

Ashley is one mixed up woman, I am also hearing that she is pregnant, and that the new baby is likely to be Dustin's.  Though Ashley is living with a fellow in Utah who, turns out to be a firefighter of all things.  As near as the investigator can tell, she simply grabbed lighter fluid which was handy in the kitchen, and poured this onto the glass covered, electric stove top.  She then just turned on the stove and left as she waited for the fluid to flash over.

Ashley then told her mother about it, and her mother has come forward and is on record with the authorities to say that Ashley started the fire.

Laura, Kate, and I are heartbroken to hear about the loss of the dog, Sirius.  All Dustin as asked for at this point is for us to return a playpen for Lenore.  He's staying with a friend.  Of course the Red Cross has stepped in to provide shelter as they work out the insurance claims.  Although one kink is that Ashley is a beneficiary of the insurance, and as the arsonist (which technicaly hasn't been proven legally at this point) would potentially void the claim.

Laura and I watched Lenore for part of the afternoon while Dustin was settling things for Brianna's hotel.  I got to have Lenore fall asleep on my chest. I has been over 12 years since I had a baby do that.

And as you see, she is quite well.

Please offer your prayers for them all today.