Oklahoma man loses RV to fire months after home burned down
By Kolby Terrell
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NINNEKAH, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A man was left with little after his temporary home caught fire Saturday, just five months after his house burned down after Christmas.
Neighbors helped Ricky Start, a Ninnekah resident, raise money to get an RV after his home was destroyed in the first fire. Then, a second fire left him without a home again.
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“This is our second dwelling fire. First one took our house, took everything, and then, just now for some reason, we got another one,” said Start. “It’s just one of them deals where you’re like, ‘Holy crap. How can it ever stop?'”
Start lost his dog in the first fire, but both he and his mother were able to get out safely. When the second fire hit, one of the only things he was able to save was his father’s ashes.
“What we didn’t lose in the first fire we just lost in the second one,” said Start.
He lived with his mom, helping to take care of her while she battles cancer. Start said their neighbors have been their rock during the difficult times.
“They restored my faith in humanity. They really have, because before that, you get all cynical about stuff, but man they’d come show up every day and almost bringing me to tears with their generosity and charity,” said Start.
He also said making it through this will be tough.
“It’s humbling. It’s heartbreaking, and through this last one, I’ve been just trying to laugh it off and trying to stay with it — trying to not let it get you down,” Start said. “Now, this time, I don’t know what I’m going to do really.”
While he said he is glad no one was hurt in the latest fire, he wishes he could have done more to stop the flames.
“Everybody should have a fire extinguisher. If I would have had a fire extinguisher both times, I think I could have put it out,” said Start.
For now, Start said he will find a neighbor to take in his family until they can get back on their feet.
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