Cottonwood firefighters replace butchered pig stolen from elderly fire victims

TOGETHER: Erick Davis, 17, and his mom Donna Casey, 44, cry tears of relief after finding Erick’s grandfather Chet Davis, 95, uninjured from a fire that destroyed most of his double-wide mobile home Wednesday.

What flames didn't destroy, thieves stole from an elderly Cottonwood couple whose mobile home burned to the ground Wednesday, Aug. 19.

By Friday morning, however, the 15 volunteer firefighters of Cottonwood were making arrangements to purchase a replacement butcher hog from Kent's Meats and had established a fund at North Valley Bank on behalf of Chet and Nan Davis, both 95, reported Jim Flaherty, chief of the Cottonwood Fire Department.

"It's really lousy that someone took that meat from this old couple," Flaherty said Friday evening.

After the 7:10 p.m. Wednesday fire on First Street was doused, someone broke into a small outbuilding behind the destroyed mobile home and took from a chest freezer an entire pig that the couple had recently slaughtered, butchered and frozen, along with some homegrown vegetables.

The volunteer firefighters raise money throughout the year hosting pancake feeds and barbecues. Most of the funds raised goes to purchase equipment for the fire district, or to help out people like the Davises get back on their feet, Flaherty said.

Anyone wishing to donate to help the fire victims should take their donations, clearly designated for desposit in the "Davis Family Fire Fund," to any North Valley Bank branch, Flaherty said.

Volunteers went out to visit with the Davis family after putting the couple in touch with the American Red Cross. Other family members have offered to house the couple until more permanent arrangements can be made, the fire chief said.

"Although the home was insured, the amount was not near enough to cover the replacement of both the residence and personal belongings that were lost," Flaherty noted.

That is why the volunteers decided to spend $370 of their own funds to purchase a 190-pound pig, have it butchered and the meat wrapped and frozen, he offered.

Cause of the fire is suspected to be a mound of ashes, probably from a nearby barbecue grill, that were left in close proximity to the mobile home's exterior wall while still glowing, Flaherty said.

"The volunteers hope that these efforts will relieve some of the suffering that the Davis family has endured in recent days, and we encourage others to do what they can to help as well," said Flaherty.

For more information on how and what to donate, call 347-4737 during regular business hours Monday through Friday.