Fire destroys home of local family on eve of Thanksgiving; father and son recovering

A late afternoon fire the day before Thanksgiving has left a local family without a home and in need of belongings. The camper the Preston family calls home erupted into flames on Wednesday, Nov. 25, sounding the alarm for the Haxtun Volunteer Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived on scene shortly after 2 p.m. and were able to help Dean Preston and his five-year-old son, Kaden, to safety as flames shot out of the camper. Dean's wife, Carly, had just left to return to work from her lunch break. The couple are expecting their second child.

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured but the camper is a total loss. Dean and Kaden were checked for smoke exposure but are both recovering.

Dean said the family first came to Haxtun in June when Carly came to work in the lab at Haxtun Health as a traveling employee. Two months later, Carly accepted a position as the Assistant Lab Director and the family permanently landed in Haxtun, where Kaden began preschool. Since that time, Dean has accepted a position with Haxtun Health as an ambulance driver.

The Prestons live with their son, two boxer puppies and a cat. Dean said they rescued the two 11-month-old boxers from a puppy mill in West Virginia. They also rescued their cat.

For the time being, Dean said Dave and ChristiAnne Gibson have lent the family a camper to stay in while they sort out the process to get a new one. The Prestons have their eye on a new camper to purchase, but will have to wait to go through the insurance process before they can get it.

Dean said the afternoon of the fire that Kaden had just gone down for a nap and he decided to join him. Not long after the two laid down, Dean said he heard a bang. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Dean said he is just happy he and his wife had rehearsed plans in case of an emergency.

Once Dean realized the camper was on fire and that he and Kaden would not be able to get out the camper doors, he pushed open the emergency escape and saw his neighbors outside. Dean handed Kaden out the window first, then the animals. He said the couple keeps all of their important paper work and documents in one location and once he grabbed that file, he was able to get out the window to safety.

Dean said that he and his wife are trying to save the clothes that survived the fire, but that it is taking some time to soak and wash them to get the smoke smell out. Any help the family could get washing and drying clothes would be appreciated, Dean said.

As for Kaden, the couple plan to start over with all new clothes and toys. Dean said Kaden was a micro-preemie at birth, weighing just under two pounds. Being a preemie, Dean said Kaden has some issues with his lungs and the couple does not wish to keep anything that has any sort of smoke damage that may cause him harm.

"We just need to be safe," Dean said when it comes to Kaden's belongings.

According to a social media post updating the needs of the family, Carly wears a size 2XL top and 22/24 or size 2XL in bottoms. Dean is a 5XL top and 48/50 or 4XL in bottoms.

Kaden is currently in a size 5T to 6T. He especially likes Spiderman and the red Power Ranger. Dean said Kaden also loves animals.

The couple would also be appreciative of any help with toys and supplies for their three animals during this time.

An account has been set up for the Preston family at Points West Community Bank in Haxtun where monetary donations can be made for other needs and expenses for the family.

To donate items to the Preston family, contact Dean at (605) 824-2392.

"It's been a whirlwind for sure," Dean said of the events over the past week. "I am a believer that the good Lord doesn't give you more than you can handle and we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, that's all we can do."