The losses the Rains family suffered in a fire that ripped through their Highland rental home early Monday morning hit harder as the week wore on.
Parents Kim and David Rains rushed their youngest daughter, Cierria, 17, to a Chicago hospital Wednesday evening, her mother Kim Rains said in a text message. A diabetic, Kim Rains said the girl lost all her medication in the fire and was unable to get an immediate refill.
After the fire, the family moved to a local hotel, Kim Rains’ sister, Rhonda Bloch, said.
Still, the family is doing “OK,” according to Bloch.
The family was in their living room in the 9300 block of Farmer Drive around 12:15 a.m. Monday when they heard a “pop” coming from the laundry room, Bloch said. David Rains, who works for the Town of Munster’s Public Works Department, had just come in from plowing the streets, and everyone was settling in for the night, Bloch said.
There was a little back and forth among the family as to who was going to see what the problem was, Bloch said, before Kim Rains got up to do it. She got as far as the kitchen when she saw the orange glow against the wall, Bloch said.
Four of the family members – Kim, David, daughter Cheyanne, 21; and Cierria – were able to get out of the house through the front door, Bloch said. The family’s cat, Beemo, however, wasn’t in the room with them at the time and perished in the blaze.
“She went back in but saw the fire had already reached the living room. It was moving too fast,” Bloch said. “They lost everything.”
Attempts to reach the house’s owner, listed with the Lake County Assessor’s Office as Kenneth and Barbara Hay, of Dyer, were unsuccessful Thursday.
Highland Fire Chief Bill Timmer said his department was able to extinguish the fire within 15 or 20 minutes and required no outside help.
“We’re still looking at what the direct cause was,” Timmer said. “We just thank God the family was able to get out of the house safely, because you can replace everything else.”
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Bloch said the community has responded to the family’s plight. So far, people have brought the family at least 75 bags of clothing, and Kim and David Rains on Wednesday met with a woman who was willing to let them stay in a property of hers for a month, Bloch said.
“There’s been a big outpouring of support. People we don’t even know have been asking how to help,” Bloch said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Benefit for family planned
Sip 2 Coffee House in Highland will host a fund-raiser featuring area singing duo Fragile Soul at 5 p.m. Dec 21, the proceeds of which will go to the Rains family, which lost all their belongings in a Dec. 5 fire.
Additionally, Hometown Happenings of Crown Point, in conjunction with SIP and SIP 2, is collecting gift cards in any amount to Target, Strack and Van Til Supermarket, Walgreens and CVS for the family; people can drop off cards at either Sip location, Cafe Fresco, BERRY RED Frozen Yogurt and Tropical Ice or with Celine Marie Certa or Tim Fealy.