Kari and Brendan Nguyen’s home yesterday.
Kari was a gymnast at the University of Utah, while her then boyfriend Brendan was on the swim team with my daughter.
They are dear friends of my daughter’s. After I tore my ACL skiing while house and dog sitting for my daughter in Utah, Kari would take Waffles the pug for a walk and check in on me.
My daughter lived in Arizona for one year after graduation. Kari and Brendan married and moved in with Kari’s family here. Kari and Brendan gave a going away party for my daughter when she decided to move to Berkeley. I can’t say enough good things about this young couple.
What a scary thing for them to go through. They have lost everything they own.
From an article:
PEORIA, AZ (AZFamily) — Firefighters have contained a fast-moving fire that left someone hurt near Peoria Thursday morning. Several pets are also missing.
According to Rural Metro firefighters, the blaze started around 9:30 a.m. as a barbecue fire outside spread to the home near 88th Avenue and Williams Road. The house is located on an unincorporated county island surrounded by the City of Peoria.
Crews from Peoria Fire-Medical were first on the scene as the fire quickly spread through the home. Officials say fire hydrants are scarce in the neighborhood because unincorporated areas don’t have the same building code requirements as most cities and areas covered by fire districts.
https://www.azfamily.com/2024/07/04/1-hurt-after-fast-moving-barbecue-fire-spreads-peoria-home
In the story, there is a link to a go fund me for the Lee family. Or CLICK HERE if you can donate something.
Kari’s parents own Flames Gymnastic Academy (what a name) and are well-known in the community. The gymnastics community, Ute Alumni and our surrounding community are helping this family get back on their feet. Thankfully, everyone survived, except it’s unknown about their pets.
Oh my, I’m so sorry to hear this, thank you for sharing their story and opportunity to help. Hugs, C
My daughter asked me to include their story and go fund me on a blog. We offered our home, but Kari has two sisters nearby and other family to stay with.
I’m so sorry for this terrible loss, Elizabeth. Thank you for the links to help. I love how you describe the community this couple and their family belong to. Sending good wishes to them all!
Thank you, Wynne. The couple has a newborn and they are the sweetest family. I’m thankful they do have a strong community around them.
How terrible 😢
I’ve been on fire alert because we’ve had two fires close to us. Then my daughter called me about this fire. What a travesty. They live about 30 miles from us. Unlike the wildfires, it was a bad propane connection to their BBQ.
Scary and very unfortunate . Do yall have a way to protect yourself from fire or would you have to evacuate?
We have a project underway but we’re waiting on the electrician to complete it. It’s a pump and PVC pipe to use our pool as a water supply to protect our home. It’s going to be better than a hose and shoot the pool water up to 40 feet. We have a wooden pergola that looks like kindling over our pool bar. I think we’re going to have to replace it with something that won’t burn. But the pool pump is the start.
Sounds good . But I hope you never have to use it .
Yes! That’s the goal. I think we should replace the wood tinder pergola with something metal or synthetic, but that’s in the future.
Oh I’m so sorry for their loss. It is so scary to have fire on the property. I hope they are okay?
The father was burned and was treated in the hospital, but it’s not life threatening. Everyone else was okay. They had five Maltese little dogs that are missing.
Aww, I’m so sorry. 🥲
🙏🙏🙏
Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry to hear this news.
I’m sorry too. My daughter called and told me. We offered our casita and guest room, but they do have more family close by. Thankfully, nobody was injured more than the dad, which is a non life threatening burn.
Oh my goodness. Too close to home on so many levels. ❤️
Amazing I’m staring out the window worrying about a nearby fire. This family is having a July Fourth BBQ and the propane burns their house down!
Stay safe! ❤️
Thank you! Our fire is 90% contained now.
What a terrifying event but equally awful is that the builders were allowed to get away with a code that makes it difficult to fight fires. In Arizona where it’s already so dry! 🙁
I’m thankful we found a house within city limits. Some of the unincorporated areas in our area don’t have water!
Sorry for this terrible loss. That’s a big thing for a young family to have to overcome but it’s good to hear everyone is okay. Prayers for them.
Thank you. Yes, it’s going to. be tough for them, but they are getting lots of support.
How devastating. I’m so sorry for their loss.
At least nobody was severely injured. I saw the fire on the news and didn’t know who it was until my daughter called me.
That’s just awful. I’m glad no one was hurt, though I can only imagine the heartbreak of losing beloved pets. I hope there’s able to recover from this tragic event.
My daughter had her gong away party in their house. She said they have Maltese dogs.
It seems wrong to like this but I did. I hate seeing destruction like this. What a thing to have to come back from.
It was a multigenerational home. They were celebrating the Fourth when the BBQ propane took over.
What a name is right. I hate hearing this. I’m glad they got out safely. No word about the pets?
I’m so thankful they are okay. My daughter said they had Maltese and they are afraid they didn’t make it out of the house. That’s so sad.
Oh, no! That’s so sad.
It is!
Curious about the BBQ at 9:30 AM causing the fire. Was it left on by accident, were they BBQing. Sad for sure.
What I have heard is the dad was outside barbecuing already. Then there was spare propane tank that exploded. The dad was hospitalized for burns but is okay.
I see… Prayers for them. 🙏
Thank you.